Looking Back for God

It's the end of the year, and you may be spending a little time looking back to see what kind of terrain you've been hiking over for the past 12 months. Where have you been? Where was God? What was your journey like? Here are a handful of questions that may help you reflect. We would love to have your comments if you'd like to tell a trail story or two.

Q: What is the most important lesson God allowed you to learn this year? How did/are you learn(ing) it?

Q: Has there been a scripture (or biblical story) that has been bothering you this year? One that has comforted you or that you keep coming back to again and again?

Q: What phrase would you use to describe your life with God right now? How is that different from what you would have said a year ago?

Q: What was the most challenging situation you encountered this year? How did you see God show up in it?

Q: What was the highlight of your year? What did it teach you about God?

Q: Is there a request you’ve found yourself praying over and over again this year?

Q: What new opportunities has God given you last year?

Q: What spiritual discipline/practice/habit has meant the most to you this year?

Unusual Wrappings (3)- He's Up To Something

Christmas is a great time for surprises- Surprise visits, surprise gifts, surprise food items encased in Jello- you know the drill. Funny thing is, surprises are actually fragile things. To pull one off you have to act like nothing unusual is happening. Some people are great at this (lying that is), some aren't. When some of us start planning a surprise, you can tell we are definitely up to something. I think God wrapped the Christmas story like He did for the same reason. He wants us to know that He is active, working, moving, present. And we all probably need a reminder now and then.

THE SILENCE OF GOD
Christmas is a time for contact. This month, many of us are getting cards, family pictures, newsletters and emails from folks we haven't heard from in 12 months. 360ish days of silence, and then finally- contact. For some people in our lives, this works out fine. We honestly don't have time (or interest?) in more than a once-a-year update. For others, 12 months of silence would be (and has been) heartbreaking. Ever had to endure a time of silence from God? Ever wondered where He was? Why He wasn't doing something? Why you couldn't hear His voice or sense His presence. Me too- and we aren't alone.

The Bible is full of periods of silence. One of the largest comes just before the Christmas story. For 7 generations from Malachai to Matthew, there is no prophet- no Word from the Lord. God is silent. Jesus' newborn wailing breaks 430 years of silence. Silent Night indeed! Even during a long time of silence, God was still working. He wasn't speaking, but He moving behind the scenes, ensuring that His promises about Jesus' birth would come true. He preserved the family line of MARY. He kept BETHLEHEM intact. Not to mention working out all of the other details.

THE RUT OF THE ORDINARY
Most days aren't Christmas, graduation day, wedding day, or any other special day. Most days are ordinary and routine. Some of us get pretty sick of routine. We ache for something special to happen. Sounds like the Christmas story to me. Mary was in the middle of "just another day" when the angel showed up and redefined her world. Joe was going about his business when he got a heavenly voicemail. The SHEPHERDS were on night watch when the angelic chorus began. The Magi were taking a routine look at the night sky when they saw the Messiah's star. We may be mired in the ordinary. But God's interruption may just be a minute away. When we least expect it, He can puncture the membrane or our daily existence and completely redefine it. (Just ask Mary & Joseph!)

BEYOND OUR FIELD OF VISION
"It's not about you." This simple sentence has been popularized in Christian circles over the last five years. (Thank you Rick Warren.) While that's true and valuable, it isn't the way most of us live. Most of us- me included- focus on life from our point of reference. Most of our energy is spent on our lives, our kids, our jobs, our dreams, our opportunities, our communities, etc. We're self-centered- which can be, but isn't always the same thing as selfish. And while God is at work in us and our worlds- He is working far beyond our frame of reference. The MAGI remind me of this.

Scholars think they showed up at Jesus' house (not barn) when the baby was somewhere between 2 months and 2 years of age. You can bet Mary wasn't expecting them. Then or ever. She was focused on her life, never imagining that God was working to bring these folks from a distant land to worship Jesus. God still does the same thing today. He is working everywhere- in every land and in the life of every person. We don't have to convince God to move. He already is. Instead, we need to listen for His call to join in His work. Like the star for the Magi, God may use US to LIGHT THE WAY for people who are searching. And as we have this privilege, let's keep in mind that journeys- like the Magi's, ours, or our friends- are usually not instant. They take time, like the 2 years the Magi spent on their quest for Jesus. Speed isn't most important. Forward movement is.

WRAPPING IT UP
Right now I'm sitting at Bruegger's Bagels, taking advantage of their free wi-fi to finish this post. It is 1:53 on Christmas Eve afternoon. They're closing in 67 minutes. Employees are scurring to clean up so they can close the doors. They are working, moving, active. Just like God. He may not be as obvious as the good folks at Bruegger's, but He's there. In the silence. In the routine. Beyond our field of vision.

And if you forget, peek at your nativity set- and remember

join the conspiracy

[AC] Advent Conspiracy from Jon Collins on Vimeo.

If you haven't already heard, Connections is joining the Advent Conspiracy this year. We are partnering with Living Water Carolinas in order to build a well in Liberia as our gift to God this Christmas. Bring your offering on Christmas Eve (service starts at 7 pm) or any time between now and February, when we send off our team to build the well!

Unusual Wrappings (2)- He Likes Us

OBLIGATION TO LOVE?
My brother is 6 years younger than me. Like most siblings we had moments when we didn’t get along. During those times, my mom would invoke this family adage:

“You have to love your family, but you don’t have to like them.”

Although I took advantage of this saying as a kid, it sits wrong with me today. Why? Because it makes love feel like an obligation, and genuine affection feel like the higher value. Do we project the same ideas on God? That God loves us (begrudgingly-because He HAS too), but doesn’t really LIKE us?

TESTING
Not sure? Take this test:
Q: When was the last time you felt God was disappointed with you?
Q: When was the last time you felt God was pleased with you?
Why do we find it easier to picture God as mad, than smiling?

JESUS
We’ve heard that Jesus loves us. But does He really LIKES us? I think He does, and that the unusual wrappings of the Christmas story hint of Jesus’ affection for us. Starting with His arrival, and throughout His life, Jesus places Himself in questionable circumstances with imperfect people. Why? So that we’ll sense that He likes us too.

A QUESTIONABLE LABEL
The virgin birth might be the highlight of the Christmas story, but it brings a cloud of scandal with it. When selecting a mother for His son, God chooses Mary. She was engaged to Joseph and wasn’t supposed to be having sex with him or anyone else. When Mary’s belly swells, people start talking. They come to one of two conclusions:

1. Mary and Joseph had sex before marriage- which is a huge no-no.
2. Some other guy knocked her up- which is even worse.

Either way, they believe Jesus came into the world in the wrong way. His birth is seen as illegitimate. The whispers follow. People joke about Mary’s bastard kid. And God does nothing to clear His Son’s name. He is content to let Jesus wear a nasty label that follows Him for the rest of His life. Most of us have similar labels stitched on our souls. They say things like “cheater”, “quitter”, “liar”, “loser”, “addict”, “failure”, etc. They make us think that God may love us, but wouldn’t really LIKE us. Unpleasant labels don’t keep Jesus away from us. He wore one too.

QUESTIONABLE GUESTS
Other than the holy family, what humans are found in most nativity scenes? Shepherds and Magi. What do they have in common? Both are outcasts. Shepherds did a menial job that often left them ceremonially unclean and unable to be a part of Jewish worship gatherings. Yet, they are the first strangers to greet the Savior. The Magi were probably scholars from Persia. Despite their wealth and education, most Jews would have kept their distance- afraid to “dirty” themselves with foreigners. Yet, these outcasts bring the best baby gifts. For the rest of His life, this pattern continues- Jesus embraces all types of people. Although we’ve all known the pain of being excluded, Jesus accepts us. That was always God’s plan.

QUESTIONABLE HOMETOWN
We’ve all got places we’d never want to live. Places (and people) we look down on. “OH- you’re from __________? Sorry to hear that.” In ancient Israel, many would have placed Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth in that blank. Nathaniel did. Why? Nazareth was in the sticks. “Those people” spoke with thick, hickish accents. They associated with the Romans (in Sepphoris 4 miles away). Nazareth was “the wrong side of the tracks”. Guess that made it the perfect spot for Jesus to call home. What does that mean for us? Pedigrees and geography don’t matter to God. My background doesn’t keep Jesus from accepting me- and neither does yours.

EASY TO HOPE FOR, HARD TO HOLD ON TO
I can imagine a God who loves me. But a God who likes me? Whose eyes light up when I cross His mind? Wow. The idea warms my heart, but is hard to get my arms around. Maybe that’s why Jesus came as He did. So that we’d get the hint that he’d call us friends- no matter what labels we wear, how much we’ve been rejected, or where life has taken us. Isn’t Christmas great?

Unusual Wrappings (1)- He Understands

As a child I found the Nativity Scene comforting. Our family didn't go to church, yet I was drawn to the Babe in the manger. Today, I find the barnyard birth ward not only soothing, but downright unusual. If you were Almighty God, would you enter our orb like this? As a helpless infant, born to a supernaturally impregnated, teenage virgin, under the shadow of scandal, in a barn? Me neither. We'd go big- because that's how we roll. So why, the unusual wrappings? Maybe God is trying to tell us some things about Himself and us.

MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
Jesus' best friend John gives this economical account of His Birth:

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." (Jn 1:14 The Message)

Unlike celebrities touring Darfur, or youth groups on a week-long mission trips, Jesus didn't just visit our broken world. He claimed citizenship and took up residence. Starting with His birth, Jesus made choices that allowed Him to live in our reality.

BORN AS A HUMAN BABY:
If I were God, I'd come to earth as a full-grown adult. Preferably a wealthy, powerful, handsome adult- but more on that later. Jesus dons newborn skin. He begins as we began- and understands some key elements of our experience:

Jesus knows what it is like to depend on others.
Philippians 2:6-7 tries to capture the power surrender the incarnation required of Jesus. A look at a small baby drives it home for me. God didn't just become human, but a helpless, newborn human. Like the rest of us, Jesus was completely dependent on His parents. His life was tied to theirs. Whenever we wish we didn't have to rely on others, Jesus can relate.

Jesus knows what it is like to grow and develop.
Ever wish you could go back and be a kid again? Maybe for a minute. But then we remember that we'd have to re-live all those decades again. Suddenly, time travel is unappealing. Who would want to do all that work again? All of the waiting to get to the next milestone? Watching the days, months and years creep by? The prophet Isaiah reminds us that when Jesus was bound to the developmental cycle like the rest of us:

Who has believed our message?
To whom has the LORD’s power been revealed?
He grew up in his presence like a young tree,like a root out of dry ground.
(Isa. 53:1-2a God's Word)

Jesus understands how hard it is to be patient- to have to wait for things to develop.

BORN INTO HUMBLE CIRCUMSTANCES:
Does the phrase "born in a barn" ring a bell? Our parents used it as a derogatory rebuke for good reasons. Yet this was the birthing center of choice for the Divine. If I were God, I would have chosen to be superior. Jesus elected to be below average. In our culture "average" is a dirty word. Parents (including me) fear their child will be saddled with this label. We spend a lot of time and money so that this won't be the case. All in the name of giving them every opportunity they deserve. God did the opposite. He set His Son up to be below average.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be overlooked. Here's Isaiah's summation:

He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him.
He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him.
(Isaiah 53:2b)

We've all known the sadness of feeling unnoticed, invisible, passed by. Jesus knew it too. In a nation full of people waiting for His arrival- hardly anyone shows up at His birth.

MAKING HIMSELF VULNERABLE
The first two choices lead to this third. As a human baby, without powerful or wealthy parents- Jesus opens Himself up to suffering.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be lonely.
What's missing from the nativity that is present at most other births? Family. Friends. God sends Jesus' parents out of town, ensuring an empty delivery room. This trend continues through the rest of His life:

He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything. (Isaiah 53:3)

Although we'd gladly claim exemption from suffering, Jesus embraces it. Why? For our sake:

He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him.
He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds.
We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the LORD has laid all our sins on him. (Isaiah 53:4-6)

JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Depending on others. Waiting. Being average. Being ignored and passed over. Aching with loneliness and other pain. Jesus chose all of this. Why? So that we would know He understands. Jesus may not have lived in your house, but He was definitely in the neighborhood.

Jesus Isn't For Everyone (Counterintuitive 7)

I know you guys have been waiting to see this. We looked awesome, didn't we? My mom said our 1987 wedding cost about $2,500. We didn't feed our 300 guests, although we did have some very lovely mints (one mint per guest, please).

According to CostOfWedding.com, couples in Raleigh/Cary NC spend, on average, $31,390 for their wedding. (The national average is $28,000.) This does not include an engagement ring, a wedding planner, airplanes or hotels, wedding insurance, or a honeymoon!

What if, after all this effort, the invited guests didn’t show up?

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.”

But according to Matthew 22:1-14, the A-List guests declined the invitation. Actually, they didn’t exactly decline the invitation. The Greek word, ameleesantes, means more that they just didn't care. They ignored it. So the King invited the A-List people again, making the invitation more detailed. Menu secrets were revealed ("The steaks are on the grill!"), the summons was more urgent. And again, the A-List people snubbed their host, and even went so far as to seize the messengers, torture and kill them.

WHAT?!
This parable has just gone from (mildly) interesting to deadly serious. And king sends out soldiers who murder every last invited guest, and burn the city to smoking ruins. Well, my brain immediately derails and I retreat to Luke where Jesus tells this parable over dessert and coffee to friends, earlier in his ministry. There the rejected King is “angry,” but his response is simply to ignore the rejections and send servants into the city to gather the poor, crippled, blind and lame to the feast. (So I feel better.)

The difference is that in Matthew, Jesus is speaking to the Chief priests and pharisees (Matt 21:45-46), the very ones trying to arrest and kill him. There are nothing less than people’s lives at stake.

Gut Check: What kind of guests are WE?
Lots of us Jesus people like to live in the twin certainties that a) our good works will earn us the right to attend the Supper of the Lamb, and b) that God’s good nature will absolve us from having to sit through the feast if we decide we have other, more interesting or compelling plans.

But this parable makes a very forceful point that outside the party, there is no life at all.

Good works don't get us in?
Nope. After the A-List people were killed, the scripture says that the servants "gathered ALL whom they found, both GOOD and BAD, so the wedding hall was filled with guests." Another great definition of grace is the fact that both you and I fit into "good and bad," thanks be to God! Inside the Kingdom, the good and bad are gathered, just as the wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest; just as the great net pulls in fish of every kind that fill the ocean.

Sweet! Now we're in, right?
Not necessarily. Because when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who wasn't wearing a wedding robe. Here I’m going to side with Father Robert Capon, who reminds us of the ancient eastern custom that Kings, when holding parties, often threw open the royal wardrobe so that each guest had something splendid to wear. So when the king looks out over his royal gathering, he sees some joker in dirty jeans and a Marilyn Manson tee shirt. So he makes his way through the crowd and asks him: “Friend," (sounds more like an angry "Hey, pal?") "how did you get in here without a wedding robe?”

The man had absolutely nothing to say to God.
Maybe he didn’t know where he was, who he was talking to. Or maybe he just didn’t care. So he is thrown out, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Where there is only darkness, for outside the Kingdom there is no life at all.

The Kingdom of God isn't for everyone.
We can’t be a part of the Kingdom with half a mind or heart. We can’t be a part of the Kingdom and just not care. We have to clothe ourselves in Christ, put on Christ, get our Kingdom attitudes on!

CS Lewis wrote a provocative book called The Screwtape Letters. In it, the Devil briefs his nephew, Wormwood, on the subtleties and techniques of tempting people. The goal, he counsels, is not wickedness, but indifference. Satan says, “I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with the people who do not care.”

You can’t do the kingdom with half a heart.

C.T. Studd (1860-1931) was once quoted as saying

“Christ's call is to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; He came not to call scoffers but sinners to repentance; not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, churches, and cathedrals at home in which to rock Christian professors to sleep by means of clever essays, stereotyped prayers, and artistic musical performances, but to capture [people] from the devil's clutches and the very jaws of Hell. This can be accomplished only by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered devotion, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

God is inviting you to the party.
You can’t get in 'cause you're "good" (you're "good and bad" remember), or smart or wealthy. You are made worthy because God just really, really loves you. There's no trick or hidden fees. However, it will require something from you. It will require that you come with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole spirit.

May you receive the invitation with joy.
May you seek Jesus with everything in you.
May you know God's great pleasure in your presence.

Give Up On Yourself (Counterintuitive 6)

CONFESSION:
I'm an Ultimate Fighting fan. Why? That's a topic for another post. I raise the issue here to share an observation I've picked up after watching grown men punch each other in the face with very light gloves: A short, direct punch- properly placed on the jaw- will send anyone to the canvas.

Why mention this? It reminds me of the teachings of Jesus. With a sentence, He rocks our worlds. His ideas connect with our souls and leave us trying to clear the cobwebs. Jesus' words can be disorienting. Like this little number:

Then he said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

Read that again. And again. One more time. Could Jesus really mean that? Does He expect adults to approach Him like chidren? Is regression mandatory to follow Jesus? At least He telegraphs the punch by using that word- CHANGE. Jesus knows most of us are hard wired to grow, succeed, improve. We've learned hard work and perseverance will get us almost anywhere in this life. Anywhere except the Kingdom of Jesus. For that, we've got to give up on ourselves.

CLARIFICATION:
Still wobbled by Jesus' declaration, I wonder what He means exactly. What child-like traits are we to emulate? Reading the VERSES on either side of the world-imbalancing statement suggest one answer: Jesus wants us to be humble like little children. Maybe we shouldn't have asked for clarification. But why stop there? What does it look like for a grown-up to come to Jesus like a child? This STORY that might give us a hint. Two adults go to the same place (the Temple), for the same reason (to seek God)- but approach Him in dramatically different ways. The Pharisee (read religious guy) comes as an adult. The Tax-Collector (read sinner) comes as a child. (Surprised at which God is drawn to?) Could we do the same? Yes, with some changes.

CHANGES IN POSTURE:
Kids are pretty transparent. Want to know what's in their heads? Look at their posture. Joy, frustration, sadness, even the need to potty all show up clearly. Adults aren't much more veiled. Our postures reveal our hearts too. The religious guy is SELF-CONFIDENT. The sinner seems LESS SURE OF HIMSELF (but hopeful about God). Their bodies express their souls. And God RESPONDS to their postures. (Maybe there's something to kneeling in prayer after all!)

CHANGES IN VOCABULARY
What words do these guys bring before God? One comes full of SELF-ASSURANCE. He focuses only on his perceived strengths. The other pray-er brings radically different WORDS. Although he's surely gotten some things right in this life, he focuses on the bottom line of his status before God. Ever noticed how easily kids impress? They perform simple tricks or tasks and we squeal with delight. (Your 3 year old can use a computer? GENIUS!) Perspective reminds us that kids are just that. For all their "success" and "growth", they're still far from being wholly formed. Sounds like our state before God, huh? The tax-collector understood and expressed that with His words.

CHANGES IN REQUESTS:
Kids aren't afraid to ask for things, are they? Been given a Christmas list already by a munchkin? Me too. What does the Pharisee ASK for in this story? Apparently, he needs nothing from God. He'll take care of Himself, thank you very much. What does the CHILD-LIKE Tax-Collector seek? That which would meet his greatest need- MERCY. If we're to approach Jesus like little-ones, we've got to abandon our pride and illusions of self-sufficiency. Because, for good or ill, God will give us what we ask for. At least He does HERE. Both guys get exactly what they seek from God. What if the same thing happens for us?

FROM HERE:
By now the sting of Jesus' words is passing, but the implications are just beginning. What are we realizing? That we're going to have to keep a foot in each world. With others, we've still got to be adults- responsible, mature, dependable. But with God, we've got to learn to shift gears- and be humble, confessing, dependent. Almost sounds freeing doesn't it?


Isn't it just like Jesus to knock us on our butts to set us free?

Someday Is Now (Counterintuitive Week 5)

“Someday I’m gonna ________.”

What’s in your blank? Goals? (get my degree.) Procrastinations? (open that 401K.) Ignored priorities? (work less and see my kids more.) Chances are we all have multiple “somethings” for that blank. What would Jesus interject into this conversation? “That someday you are waiting for- is TODAY. Someday is NOW. Especially when it comes to God.”

MATTHEW 25 @ 30,000 FEET
Flying back and forth to Raleigh, I’m finding things to like about the commute- like the instant change in perspective. Things look much different at cruising altitude than at ground level. If we want to understand why “someday in NOW”, we need to see Matthew 25 from a broad perspective. Take a few minutes to read this chapter like you are looking down from 30K feet. Don’t worry about details- listen for the main idea.

What do you hear? What is Jesus talking about in these 3 stories? Notice any recurring themes? My take? Jesus explains the Kingdom of Heaven to us by comparing it to an authority figure WHO IS AWAY. Those who are accountable to Him are dealt with based on what they did WHILE HE WAS AWAY.

We tend to think that Heaven starts someday after we die. Jesus says we are living in the Kingdom of Heaven today- while the bridegroom is gone, the master is away and Jesus is waiting to return. Although there’s a pending wedding feast, homecoming and judgment day to come when everything is fully consummated- we are in the Kingdom of Heaven right now.

Not sure? Check out Matthew 11:12, 12:28 & Mark 9:1. In each verse, Jesus discusses the Kingdom of Heaven in present tense. And He spoke those words 2000 years ago. What if Jesus is serious? What are the implications of living in the Kingdom of Heaven here and now? Good questions.

ZOOMING IN
As the plane descends, perspective shifts. Wide angle becomes telephoto. Forest becomes individual trees. To understand what it means to live in the Kingdom of Heaven today, we need to zoom in a bit on the stories in Matthew 25.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR KINGDOM RELATIONSHIPS
In the wedding story, why did the groom refuse entrance to some bridesmaids? He didn’t know them. Some conclude the the point of Jesus' Kingdom is to punch tickets to Heaven. I don't buy that. Jesus wants people to go to Heaven- but He came for more-to restore relationships. Jesus came to bring a ruined, rebellious creation back to it's Creator. And the time for that relationship with God is today. We don't have to wait until we die to know and love God. You and I can look into the eyes of our Maker and embrace Him today. How? Jesus knew we would ask.

THANK GOD FOR THE NEEDY
When Jesus tells 3 consecutive stories, He isn't just filling space. The yarns in Mt 25 are strung together intentionally. As I read them, the final story helps flesh out the first two. As the Good Shepherd talks about sheep and goats, He tells us how we can know and love Him while we walk the earth. When we engage people in need, we engage Jesus. When we love and serve them, we love and serve Him. What if this is really true? It means that our relationship with the groom/master/shepherd can happen even while He is away. And we tend to think we're the ones helping those in need!

NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM
In 2nd story, what does the master judge his servants on when he returns? The work they did while He was gone. What work has Jesus left us? Spreading His message. What is the message of Jesus? "Go to heaven and avoid hell"? (SIGH) God Almighty forbid that we accept or propagate something so shabby. The message of Jesus is RESTORATION. Sin wrecked creation. The painful effects are everywhere. Jesus came to put things back as they were meant to be. And we can help. In the final story, Jesus' applauds certain actions- feeding hungry folks, tending to sick people, etc. What do these things have in common? They scream restoration. God didn't make a world that included hunger, thirst, evil or illness. We let that crap in. Now Jesus bids us to pull these weeds wherever we find them. He'll plow the whole thing up and replant it eventually. Until then, we do our part of the Kingdom work.

SOMEDAY IS TODAY
So here I sit- typing in the Kingdom of heaven. There you sit- reading in the Kingdom of heaven. Talk about a perspective shift! Sorry, I'd love to talk some more, but I've got Kingdom relationships to build and Kingdom work to do. Wanna join me?

The Great Thanksgiving

The Great Thanksgiving is the name for the prayer which we pray before sharing communion. Very often, it is prayed in a trinitarian form: the first part is addressed to God our Maker, the second part recalls the ministry of Christ (particularly the Last Supper), and the third calls upon the Holy Spirit. Although it is addressed to God, it is often prayed while looking at the community of people who are gathered around the table. Over the centuries, this prayer and this practice of sharing a meal have taken many forms. Below I have linked some of the scriptures from which I have drawn this particular prayer. May we share many such prayers and meals with God and one another.

Almighty Maker, in the days after you had formed the heavens and the earth, and streams came up and watered the whole earth, you knelt in a land rich with onyx and gold and aromatic resin, and formed us in your image from the rich soil and breathed into us the breath of life. You made us to be salt for the earth and light for the world.

When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through the prophets.

In the fullness of time you sent your son, Jesus Christ, who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners. When he left this earth, he promised he would always be with us in the Word and by the power of your Holy Spirit.

On the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread and shared it with his followers saying, "Take, eat. This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

After the supper he took the cup, gave thanks to you, and shared it with his followers saying, "Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, poured out of you and for many others for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me."

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of loaf and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, so that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood. Make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. Amen.

Counterintuitive Week 3

"Image is Everything."
Who knew Andre Agassi was so prophetic? Or that a late 80's commercial would nail our way of living 20 years later? But he was and it does. Our culture values image over substance. As a result, we buy things that don't measure up to the commercials, order food that doesn't look as good as it does on the menu and vote for politicians we know are faking it.

Not that we are exempt either. We try to put our best foot forward at work, with friends, on dates- and even with God. Somewhere we've all got an M.A. in Image Management matted and framed. (OK- maybe not all of us, but we do tend to think that people who don't care what others think are jerks- right?)

Once again, Jesus calls us to a way of living that requires a sharp u-turn as He urges us to forget about managing images and focus on substance. True to form, He does this with a simple STORY. In Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus describes two radically different approaches we can take in our life with God. One values image management. The other, substance and action.

"Yes Sir, Dad." (With a smile.)
Jesus describes a vineyard owning father who asks both of his children to go work in the family business. One son is enthusiastic. Tells Dad he's been looking forward to it. Can't wait to get his hands dirty. But as soon as Dad is gone- the son hits the links (or lake, or bed, etc.). Win-win. Dad thinks he's a good son, AND he gets to do whatever he wants.

Sound deceptive? Shallow? Religious? Right on all 3. Jesus uses this son to picture folks who say yes to God- and then do whatever they want. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE have always had a knack for this, but image management never fools God. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus previews a CONVERSATION He will have with those whose spiritual lives have been all image and no substance.

Read it through a couple of times. Would you want Jesus to say those words to you? I'd rather pass. And we can. How? The passage gives us a couple of clues:
1. Focus on knowing Jesus, not just using His name.
The image driven will tell Jesus about all they accomplished by using His name. Jesus doesn't care. He wanted more than miracles. He wanted a relationship. The temptation to use Jesus (for friends, peace of mind, self-improvement, $, etc.) is still there today. Jesus wants more for us.
2. Focus on doing what God wants, not just what sounds good to us.
Did you hear what Jesus called these miracle workers? EVIL. Why? Because they did the things that furthered their religious image instead of doing what God wanted. Are we so different?

"The P.R. Nightmare" (The Good Son)
Fortunately, Jesus gives us an ALTERNATIVE to image management. The son that Jesus praises in the story was rebellious. He told his Father no- straight to His face. Ever done that with God? Me too. When it comes to image, this kid is a PR nightmare. So, how does he end up as the "good one"? He CHANGES his mind and heart. He leaves his past behind and obeys his father. God doesn't need us to project the perfect image or live perfect lives. (Good thing, huh?) He only needs us to soften our hearts and turn towards Him. What does that look like? Great question.

Personalized Substance
In this story, Jesus keeps referring to JOHN as a key figure in the lives of those who were moving past image management. As the hype man for Jesus, John's MESSAGE called for the substance of life-change. Fed up with religious spin doctors, John demanded action from those who wanted to embrace Jesus and His way of living. Read this ACCOUNT. What does John ask of those wanting to change? More Bible reading? More prayer? More temple time? Nope. He wants real life action. He urges us to live like we are a part of Jesus' Kingdom now, with the substance of practicality. What does John tell each group to do? Something that was doable for them, given who they were.

I won't lie to you, image management is easier than a life of action and substance. But does it lead us where we want to go? Good question. And here are a couple more to chew on:
1. Which son in the story best describes my life with God today? Is this what I really want?
2. If I were to wade out and meet John the Baptist in the river, what kind of action would he ask me to take today as proof that my desire for Jesus is sincere?

Counterintuitive Week 2

"Bigger is _________."

What did you put in that blank? Most people choose the word BETTER. Why?

Because we're indoctrinated. Our culture screams that more is better. (Think super-sized food portions, ever expanding home sq footage, TV dimensions, etc.)

Amidst the din of the marketing onslaught comes this whisper from Jesus:

"I know you're thinking bigger, but I'm thinking smaller."

In Matthew 13:31-33, Jesus tells two brief stories to describe His Kingdom. Both suggest an affection for the small.

JESUS AIN'T MUCH TO LOOK AT...
Jesus claims that He is like a seed. Have any seeds in the house? Find one. Squeeze it between your fingers. What comes to mind? It is impressive?

Before our Sunday gathering @ CNX, I placed a single sesame seed on every chair. No one noticed. Why?

Because seeds are INSIGNIFICANT- especially compared to our Hummers.

Jesus also compares His Kingdom to a bit of yeast- a COMMMON ingredient that even the sparsest pantry probably contains.

Apparently, Jesus isn't worried about impressing us.

His m.o. reveals that Jesus prefers to be unimpressive- being born in a barn, raised in a country holler, selecting below-average apprentices, etc.

Maybe God is smaller than we think He is.
What if Jesus shows up in our lives every day- only instead of being miraculous and impressive- He appears in the common and the ordinary? Keep your eyes open this week for seeds and yeast.

...BUT IF WE LET HIM IN...
Both stories continue. The seed gets planted by a gardener. The yeast gets mixed into the dough by a baker.

The phrase "The Kingdom of God" didn't scream "choice" to Jesus' first listeners. Kingdoms were forced on you. God was a given in that culture.

Jesus says that He is different. He won't strong arm us. He isn't ours by birthright.

We have to choose to plant Jesus in our lives. To mix His ways in our souls.

Out of curiosity, what does this look like for you? How do you let Jesus into your daily life?
Bible study? Worship services? Small groups? Serving the needy? Something else?

...AND GIVE HIM TIME AND SPACE TO WORK...
In a world where instant is the norm, this can be hard to swallow. Not only is Jesus small, but He is slow.

Seeds take time to germinate, sprout and grow. Yeast works its way through the dough , if you leave it alone.

Jesus needs time and space to get things done in our lives. Although God might be able to hothouse or microwave our spiritual journeys- He usually doesn't choose to do so.

God doesn't seem to be in as big a hurry as we are.

Don't believe me? Breeze through the Old Testament and note God's timetables. They are usually measured in decades if not centuries.

So why do we expect God to make radical changes in our lives in a year? Or double the size of our church in two?

Maybe we're projecting our natures and expectations on Jesus.

...THEN HE PRODUCES CRAZY RESULTS!
So far, Jesus has asked a lot of us. Accept His smallness. Adopt His lifestyle. Be patient.

Here's where it pays off. In both stories, something big happens.

The seed takes time to grow, but exceeds expectations when it does- providing not only a crop, but a birdhouse. It redefines the landscape of the garden.

The yeast changes the nature and the future of the dough. Crackers become yeast rolls.

Q: Has Jesus been up to the same stuff in your life? In your faith community?
Is God doing more than you thought He would? Is He redefining the landscape of your heart? Family? Workplace? Neighborhood?

If not, He wants to.

If you are willing to give an unimpressive, non-aggressive, slow-moving God a chance- that is.

Counterintuitive...You Figure It Out

Most of us find our way through the day based on our “gut.” Gut defined: The collection of education, life experiences and instincts that helps us make tons of micro-decisions each day. (Ex. Flip the light switch up to turn it on, hot water is on the left side of the sink, turn the lid left to loosen and right to tighten.) We don’t think every action through, but go with what “feels right.”

This works until we face “counterintuitive” situations that go against the grain of what we expect. For me, Jesus falls into this category. He may seem pedestrian or predictable to some, but Jesus is fond of turning our expectations on their heads. For example, think about the way He teaches.

WAS JESUS A BAD OR LAZY TEACHER?
Great teachers explain things so that you understand them. Based on this standard, was Jesus a great teacher?

When Jesus taught the masses, He often told simple stories about everyday stuff (fishing, farming, weddings, etc.) and then offered no further explanation. Explanations are usually given in private to His inner circle. With the crowds, Jesus spins a yarn, hints that it relates to His Kingdom and then says: “Now you go figure it out.”

What gives? Why is Jesus so veiled? Is He unprepared? Lazy? Uncaring? Isn’t His mission to help the world understand who He is? Why doesn’t He explain Himself more? We aren’t the first to ask these questions.

THE MADNESS BEHIND THE METHOD
After another fantastic (but unexplained) story in Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus’ followers request an explanation: The disciples (Mt 13:10) asked him, “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?”

Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd. Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge, and they will excel in understanding them. However, some people don’t understand these mysteries. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.” (Mt 13:11-12)

Maybe I’m reading it wrong, but this doesn’t sound right or fair. Jesus teaches in stories so that some people WON’T understand? It might help to let Jesus finish His train of thought:

This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re blind. They hear, but they don’t listen. They don’t even try to understand. So they make Isaiah’s prophecy come true: ‘You will hear clearly but never understand. You will see clearly but never comprehend. These people have become close-minded and hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that their eyes never see. Their ears never hear. Their minds never understand. And they never return to me for healing!’ (Matthew 13:13-15)

Why doesn’t Jesus explain Himself more clearly? Because everyone in the crowd doesn’t really want to understand. Tasking them to wrestle with the stories reveals their level of spiritual hunger and openness.

And catch this- geographic proximity isn’t enough. Jesus is talking about people who showed up and listened to Him teach. They came to the right place, but didn’t bring open hearts and minds with them. Could the same thing be said about us? We may show up on a Sunday, read the Bible, serve the needy or have conversations about faith with friends- but if our hearts and minds aren’t open, we won’t get it.

IT’S A TEST
Jesus tells us to go figure out His stories to test our desire for Him. He wants to know how much we want it. We’ve experienced this before. Ever tried out for a sports team? The first few practices are tortuous tests of desire. The coach doesn’t care how well you can play. She wants to know if you WANT to play. Ever taken an entry-level job? Been given grunt work that seems to have little to do with the profession? A test to see if you WANT to work there.

After the explanation in Matthew 13, Jesus tells a follow-up story in Mark 4:21-25: Jesus said to them, “Does anyone bring a lamp into a room to put it under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a lamp stand? There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret that will not come to light. Let the person who has ears listen!” (vv. 21-23)

What is this yarn about? What every teacher longs to see happen for his or her pupils: ENLIGHTENMENT. Jesus wants to see the light come on in our eyes. How does that happen? He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! Knowledge will be measured out to you by the measure of attention you give. This is the way knowledge increases.” (vs. 24)

How do we come to know Jesus? We pay attention. We question, seek after and wrestle with the person and ways of Jesus.

And catch this -- our desire for God has a multiplying effect: "Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, some people don’t understand these mysteries. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.” (vs. 25)

What happens if this plays out in our lives? If our hunger and pursuit of God is multiplied? Will we get more of Jesus because we are seeking more of Him? Will we get less because we don’t really want to know anyway?

FINAL GRADES
For Jesus as a teacher? A+ in my book. For us as students? The test is still in progress. And it isn’t a measurement of the knowledge in our heads, but of the desire in our hearts and our willingness to pay attention to God.

Some questions to help in our prep:

• If my desire for God were a candle, how would I describe the flame today? Smoldering? Flickering? Out? Steady? Raging? Something else?
• Which is easier for me- to put my eyes and ears in the right place to hear God- or to open my heart and mind to him? Why? What helps me do both?
• If “knowledge is measured out to us by the measure of attention we give”, what am I doing to pay attention to God today? How am I seeking Him?

And by the way, feel free to ask a friend what they got on this one.

Dealing with Global Poverty

Rather than cite the tragic statistics about global poverty or give a list of 20 things we can do to get involved, I want to instead offer a look at the cause of global poverty from a uniquely Christian perspective. How does God see the problem? How did our world get broken in this way, and how can Jesus people live differently and create an impact?

What is broken: our unity
If the whole earth was to be stewarded and developed by the whole people for the good of the whole planet (Genesis 1:28), how did we get so unbalanced? Like kids taping a line down the middle of the backseat, we have built walls to separate ourselves. The Great Wall of China. The Berlin Wall. The border fence between Texas and Mexico.

Of course, God knows that "nation will rise against nation." But Scripture tells us that the multiplicity of rival nations is a consequence of sin (Gen 11). God furthermore promised to redeem this lack of unity.

The point of the "good Samaritan" parable is it's racial twist on a border story: it would be like an illegal Mexican going out of his way to help a dying Texas rancher. In Christ, the walls are completely removed (Eph 2:14-15). Although of course, we often still behave as if they aren't. It's incredibly difficult to overcome generations of division.

A story about inequality of privilege
It would be easy to say, "Let my sisters and brothers on the other side of the wall have food. Or clean water, or a voice in how their country is run." But often, they just don't have the opportunity.

NPR recently aired a Marketplace story called "Rwanda is in women's hands." 1994, 1 million people, mostly men, died during the Rwandan genocide. When it was over, 70% of the people left in the country were women. The gender imbalance has allowed women to make ground-breaking changes in the country. Women can now inherit land, they hold high positions in government, and today half the Parliament is women (the highest percentage in the world). These women are changing Rwanda for the better, making food and education for their children a priority. God has brought incredible change for the good out of this tragedy.

Jesus people are called to act to restore unity and equality of privilege, to speak in the face of injustice. Let it not take more Rwandan genocides (or Darfurs) before we are able to have an impact for the good.

So, should rich Christians become poor?
We know to "store our treasure in heaven, not on earth." We know to put devotion to God's rule above material things. We know we "can't serve God and money at the same time." And Jesus definitely invited many of his followers to give up everything to follow him. But Jesus didn't tell all his followers to get rid of all their possessions. Joseph of Arimathea "a rich man" and "a disciple of Jesus." Zaccheus was a wealthy tax collector who gave half his possessions to the poor. But he kept the rest! And Jesus said "salvation had come to him." So the scripture does not establish the case that all Christians should become materially poor.

Should rich Christians stay rich?
Some churches teach that wealth is the clear outcome of following Jesus. This so-called "prosperity gospel" (usually based on Deut 28:8,12) omits some important biblical understandings.

1. The biblical principle that the earth is to be developed for the common good, and it's riches shared with all humankind.
2. The OT economy which promised wealth ALSO commanded the care of the poor.
3. And there is a parable about a rich man who went to hell NOT because he was rich, but because he consistently ignored the beggar at his gate.

In the end, the Scripture warns us of the danger of riches, and teaches us to practice generosity with our wealth (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Of course, that will result in a lowering of our standard of living. God calls us to live simply by giving all we can.

A Prayer for Change:
Creator God, help us to see clearly how rich those of us reading this post and hearing this message are. Help us call one another to account for our brothers and sisters here at home and around the world who live in dire poverty. Open our hands to share our resources freely. Open our ears to hear not only the cries of our brothers and sisters around our communities and around the globe, but open our ears to hear your direction. Grant us the wisdom and the courage to take the first small steps toward change. Amen.

Arlo Guthrie

Heard from the worship leader during closing praise, on the Sunday in which we explored the topic "Waging Peace in a Violent World":

"If you want to end war and stuff, you gotta sing loud!"

(Originally said by Arlo Guthrie, in Alice's Restaurant)

War is not a Game

Heard in worship:

My friend told me he doesn't play computer war games any more. I asked him why. "My brother's in Iraq," he said.

Waging Peace in a Violent World

by Matt Brown

To wage means to engage and carry on. To wage peace in a violent world we must adopt God’s vision for us and for the world. To a large extent that means focusing on these four pitfalls in our lives:

1. Trivialization – making light of our priorities or not taking seriously our mission.
2. Perspective – we often react in a uniform way no matter what the outside conflict is. We need to be strong enough to temper our response to the situation
3. Pride – we invest our ego so often into areas of conflict that we seal off alternatives of peace so that we can save face.
4. Absence of Prayer – Our world is full of noise and distraction. As a people we have become addicted to this.

Our scriptures for this week suggest layers of peace in our own lives:

A. Interpersonal Peace

Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Person to person peace is perhaps the most effective way that we can wage peace in our lives and yet it is often the most overlooked, perhaps because it is the most difficult to manage.

Trivialization – Simply put we gossip and make fun of people. Both of these sins trivialize the real suffering that our neighbors are going through. Trivialization also rebounds back on us. We become less authentic and willing to share because we are afraid (know) that others will make fun of our weaknesses. Through trivialization we become singled out by sin and prey to the enemy (I am reminded of a wounded gazelle and a stalking lion).

Perspective – at an individual level we avoid or seek out conflict in very uneven ways. In our attitudes and reactions to others we have to be willing to be more measured in our responses.

Pride – The correct perspective also leads to an understanding of pride’s role in conflict. We often feel injured on a personal level and are in need of rebuilding our building up. Our egos must often have it their way, or they won’t engage or look for peace. The truth is that peace and ego are very far removed. Being a servant of God and an operative in Kingdom building means that we gain our identity through our value to God and not through our value relative to others.

Absence of Prayer – We are addicted to noise and entertainment. When we lay in bed at night our minds race with the worries of the day past or the expectations of tomorrow. Seeking silence, “white space”, or contemplative time has is hard and has become devalued. We live in an information consumer age and if you are not involved in consuming or making information, then (by the world’s standards) you’re wasting time. Stop reading right now and take a minute of silence.

B. Peace among Groups of People

Romans 13:1-7 (NIV)
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

We are a part of many different groups, and to strive for peace at this level we need to be cognizant of our place and effectiveness in the groups that we serve and lead in.

Trivialization – We make little of our leaders. Are we making fun of God? As humans we have a tough balancing act, we must work things out within the freedom that we are given by Jesus and the ordinances and structures that God has established through our leaders. So, when is it ok to rebel and when is it not? In the USA, we are pretty lucky. We can operate in a system that allows for feedback. The danger of trivialization is one of becoming jaded by our system and unplugging from it.

Perspective – You work and serve Jesus, not just a boss. The key to perspective in social group peace is keeping that truth out in front of you at all times. In your office job today you are serving Jesus. In your church job you are serving Jesus. When you stand for social justice you are serving Jesus.

Pride – National pride and patriotism can be extremely problematic. In fact they can be downright deadly. I see national pride as something a kin to money. People are willing to steal, die, and kill for it. Yet we are to be good stewards of what we are given. I will therefore, be a good steward of my freedoms, and remember that I am an eternal citizen of God’s Kingdom.

Absence of Prayer – praying for our leaders in not in vogue. In fact, it can be very hard. Who leads you? As you answer that question (and take it seriously) you can begin to see that they need your prayers. It can be the bad boss, the fatuous senator, or the goofy president.

C. Global Peace

Isaiah 2:2-5 (NIV)
2 In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

3 Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

This passage shows us God’s plan for how we are to ultimately live. Of course we will continue to live in a world of strife for the present, but that is no reason to blunt the message of peace and freedom that the Gospel of Jesus Christ spells out. God’s restoration of his Kingdom started with Jesus and continues through the church.

Trivialization – Globally we trivialize our world. I have a friend who cannot play video games anymore because the true nature of video games that deal with war has come home to him. He has a loved one in Iraq. We amuse ourselves with gratuitous violence without really knowing (or rather considering) what real violence in the world looks like. Our bubble of easy living has not been given to us so that we can kick back and indulge ourselves, but so that we have a place to stand when we reach out to help the world.

Perspective – Neglecting the perspective of others in the world that see us abusing that we have is another way that we fail to wage peace and goes hand-in-hand with trivialization. We may not mean to consume all the resources that we do, but we need to begin to see our action through the eyes of others.

Pride – Race and place of birth often make us feel like we are superior to other people and their cultures. We see this often even with the church, when we combine our ethnic identities with the identity of Christ. Both in cultural outlook and in physical appearance we can fall into the easy temptation of re-creating God in our own image (I have seen a lot of blond, blue-eyed Jesuses).

Absence of Prayer – We also fall into habits of focusing our prayers in a commercial and consumer-oriented way. Our concept of a personal God moves away from the creator of the Universe as we look for God to grant our wishes or deal with our laundry list of very narrowly focused prayer. Instead we need to turn our prayer lives outward and bring more focus to the world and peace among nations and among the individuals in our lives.

How we can respond to injustice in Darfur

by Scott Sutton

My Background
I really miss braided goat intestines. It’s not so much their taste that I miss. Instead, I long for what they represent to the people of the vast Sub-Saharan plains of Eastern Chad. Braided intestines are eaten only at joyous occasions where entire clans came together to celebrate life, good food and close friends. Growing up there as the son of a missionary doctor, I remember sitting with friends around a bowl of this tasty treat and eagerly digging in with our hands. We laughed together, we played soccer in the streets together and we shared our passions and dreams with each other.

I spent 11 years of my life growing up in the sand dunes of Eastern Chad, where my only running water was on the back on a trotting donkey. Although I would to tell you stories of climbing mango trees and riding camels, the sad truth is that I am sharing with you a little about the chaos, misery and suffering that is currently engulfing my friends there.

The Crisis
Ever since 2001, government-back militias in the Darfur region of Sudan have been systematically attacking the local tribes in an “ethnic cleansing” campaign that the UN calls the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” More than 200,000 men, women and children have died in this violence and almost 3 million are running for their lives. Many of these refugees have flowed over the border into Chad (where I grew up) and the violence has followed. To give you an idea of the severity of the crisis and the strain on local resources, a small village named Farchana – which use to be home to about 200 people – is now home to a UN refugee camp with 80,000 refugees. This situation drains water, food and firewood supplies and exacerbates the conflict. The atrocities, such as rape, maiming and massacres, continue to this day.

The World’s Response
The UN has agreed to send 26,000 peacekeepers, but there has been little movement on the ground. China is a major financial backer of Sudan and is doing little with its vast influence to affect change. Currently in Darfur, the world’s largest humanitarian mission is in progress, with daily handouts keeping millions of people alive but a lack of security and harsh weather are serious obstacles. Groups like Save Darfur Coalition and Genocide Intervention Network are focused on raising awareness in the US to help us understand the significance of this genocide.

Our Response
We must have a mature, Godly response this kind of injustice. According to Gary Haugen, author of Good News about Injustice, the step to get this response is to have compassion permanence. Hebrews 13:3 implores us to “remember those who are being mistreated as if you yourself were suffering.” We cannot simply flip the channels from torture to touchdowns and let reality be forgotten. Secondly, we must understand that God knows the world is fallen but commands us to fight injustice. Luke 11:42 describes how God dislikes people who are careful to obey the letter of His law but ignore justice and the love of God.

So What Can I Do?
Although the crisis is really horrible and the numbers are staggering, we should not lose hope. There are many ways that ordinary people like you and I can help the situation. First, we can learn more and keep the situation in our prayers. Secondly, we can apply pressure by lobbying our elected officials, using the media to spread the word and divesting from companies that are helping fund the genocide. Third, we can support progress in the area by funding humanitarian, security or missionary agencies working to bring real hope to the people of Darfur. For more stories, ideas and recent media clippings about this subject, go to www.dyinginthedust.com.

20 Ways to Help in Darfur

A resource guide for those seeking to be God's "hands and feet" to fight injustice in Darfur. Compiled by Scott Sutton

Excellent General Resources:
Save Darfur Coalition: www.savedarfur.org
Genocide Intervention Network: www.genocideintervention.net
US Holocaust Memorial Museum: www.ushmm.org/conscience

LEARN:Although there is a serious lack of media coverage, some can be found if you look hard enough.
1. Seek out media reports on the area:
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/Africa
CNN: www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa
African media: www.AllAfrica.com

2. Get current news directly from agencies working in Darfur:
Reuter’s humanitarian agency news: www.alertnet.org
World Vision: www.worldvision.org
Amnesty International: http://news.amnesty.org/regions/AFR

3. Browse online journals (blogs):
www.DyingintheDust.com (my personal site)
www.passionofthepresent.com
www.coalitionfordarfur.blogspot.com
Search Google Blogs for posts on Darfur

4. Sign up for alerts from any of the three “general resources” above.

ATTEND: Seek out events about Darfur in our community
5. Check out events calendar on www.savedarfur.com

6. Join groups on social networking sites such as Facebook.com, Meetup.com and MySpace.com and subscribe to email distribution lists. http://sudanpeace.meetup.com/84/?gj=sj3

EDUCATE/VOLUNTEER: Don’t keep it to yourself – share!
7. Share what you are learning with your family, closest friends and Bible Study members.
-Darfur on Google Earth for “techies”
-MTVU for teens

8. Plan a fundraising event
5K Run, Dimes for Darfur, classic fundraisers, etc.
www.genocideintervention.net/fundraising

9. Plan an awareness event
-Darfur Stories – a theatre piece www.darfurstories.org
-Film showings (Hotel Rwanda), Dinners for Darfur, Dream for Darfur gatherings
-Publish it: www.savedarfur.org
-Check out the event planning guides from the “general” resources

LOBBY
10. 1-800-GENOCIDE (easy to use system tells you the latest talking points and automatically connects you with your elected official)

11. Encourage your senators to support the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act (DADA) which passed the House of Representatives 418-1 on July 31, 2007.
Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC): 202-224-6342, dole.senate.gov
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC): 202-224-3154, burr.senate.gov

12. Stay current on how all elected officials are doing: www.DarfurScores.org
U.S. Rep David Price (D-NC4): (202) 225-1784
U.S. Rep Brad Miller (D-NC13): (202) 225-3032

HIGHLIGHT
13. Generate press coverage of your events and the crisis
-Issue press releases, media advisories prior to event

14. Make sure the crisis is covered in the news when important events occur
-Write a guest editorial for a newspaper
-Write a Letter to the Editor in response to an article

15. Publish posts online about the crisis or in magazines

CONTRIBUTE
16. Provide funding for the humanitarian missions
Great list of groups on BBC: How to help. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3793577.stm

17. Provide funding for security/protection missions
Genocide Intervention Network provides funding for “non-lethal” security aid

18. Provide support for missionaries working in the area
WEC International (USA) www.wec-usa.org

DIVEST
19. Make sure you are not unintentionally funding genocide. www.sudandivestment.org

PRAY
20. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Make lifting up Darfur a regular part of your prayer life.

Learn about Darfur

Next week we will continue our journey together learning about what role we as Christians in Cary have in global events by taking a look at the current crisis in Darfur.

Darfur is region (about the size of Texas) in Western Sudan and is currently embroiled in a vicious conflict that has left at least 200,000 people dead and millions displaced. It is a complicated conflict with political, ethnic and environmental motives that has now spilled over into neighboring Chad. The UN calls it the "world's worst humanitarian crisis" and the US government calls it "genocide."

In preparation for our discussion next week, take the time to learn about the region and conflict. Some good informational sites on Darfur are:

BBC's Quick Guide to Darfur
Reuters Alert Net
Amnesty International

Taking good care of our environment – Save The Watts!

Many of us in the Connections Church area get our electricity from Progress Energy. Progress Energy has recently launched a major energy efficiency campaign to help us to do our part to conserve our electrical resources. The Save The Watts campaign includes a fun, interactive web site with useful tips on how to save energy (and money) and FREE home energy checks done by a professional. Also, from October through mid-December Progress Energy Carolinas is partnering with The Home Depot to provide discounted ENERGY STAR-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) at selected The Home Depot stores.

God's Global Ecology

Have you noticed that the volume on the conversation about ecology has gotten turned way up lately? Everywhere we turn, people are talking about the environment. Well -- almost everywhere. Many church communities are strangely silent on this issue. Frankly, that won’t work for us at Connections. This Sunday we wrestled with a singular question of motivation: Why should we, as followers of Jesus or people exploring faith in Jesus, care about the environment?

1. Because we're on the hook for it.
Taking care of creation was the first job God gave humans. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:7-8,15). Although all creation bears God’s fingerprints, people were uniquely made in God’s image. As a result, humans were given authority over (rule) and responsibility for (farm, take care of) all that God has made.

2. Because we're joined at the hip with the earth.
The relationship between people and the planet runs deeper than we assume. (Genesis 3:17-19; Hosea 4:2b-3) We come from the earth and will return to it. Our choices impact the rest of creation and the natural world sometimes returns the favor (famine, natural disaster, etc.). Followers of Jesus also claim to worship the same God that the rest of creation praises at all times. (Psalm 96:11-13) If we say that honoring God is a priority in our lives, shouldn’t we preserve that which never fails to give Him glory?

3. Because Jesus would care about the environment.
Although you can’t find one verse to “prove” this, stewarding what God has made seems to line up with Jesus’ mission and values. (Colossians 1:15-20) Jesus came with the mission to redeem and restore everything God made -- not just people, but the rest of the planet too. Although a day is coming when the restoration will be completed (people get new bodies, while God makes a new heaven and a new earth), Jesus tells those who would adopt His way of living to begin the redemptive process now.

Jesus’ highest values might be summed up with the word love. He taught that the greatest things in life were to love God and to love people. Could taking care of what God has made be a way to live out love? God certainly loves His creation (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 20:19; Matthew 6:25-30). Can’t we love God by honoring what He loves?

4. But what about loving people? Shouldn’t we worry more about humans who are starving than preserving trees and polar bears?
Maybe it isn’t an either/or, but a both/and equation. Taking care of the planet is an excellent way of loving people. Here are a few groups we love each time we practice God’s global ecology:

• Future Generations. They will inherit whatever we leave behind.
• Spiritual Seekers. God uses nature to reveal Himself. (Romans 1:19-20)
• The Least. The survival of the poor is often closely linked to the environment. They are also the least able to buy their way out of environmental problems.

5. How much will God expect from us in this area?
With authority and responsibility comes accountability. (Luke 12:48) Most of us don’t own tons of land or animals, but we do use the planet’s resources. American’s comprise only 5% of the global population, yet we:

• Use 25% of the planet’s energy.
• Eat 15% of its meat. (Which is resource intensive to produce.)
• Consume 28% of its paper.
• Account for 23% of energy related carbon emissions.
• Use 25% of its oil.

We have a lot; God expects a lot from us.

6. Where can we begin if we want to practice God’s global ecology?

• Focus on the spiritual aspect. Make this an act of worship directed to God, not guilt-driven act of self-improvement.
• Get out in creation. Most of us spend much of our time in man-made environments. Reconnecting with God’s beauty in nature can up our motivation level.
• Be mindful of your impact. Start noticing the resources you consume on a daily basis. You’ll feel more invested in ecology.
• Take a step at a time. Like anything else, progress in this part of our spiritual journey will probably come incrementally. Start at home with things you can control.
• Learn more in this area.

Books:
Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth, MD
Saving God’s Green Earth by Tri Robinson
It’s Easy Being Green by Crissy Trask

Websites:
http://www.savinggodsgreenearth.com/resources.html
http://www.energystar.gov/
http://www.treehugger.com/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/