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/

How Saving the World Begins

"You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics." Charles Bukowski

The Biblical Foundation of Human Rights

1. Defining human rights
Human rights describe the kind of life a human being should be able to expect by virtue of being human (not because they are members of a nation or other group).

2. Where do human rights come from?
The origin of human rights is creation. Human beings did not "win" them, no government has "given" them. We received them from the hand of our Maker "in the beginning." That creates a problem in this day of moral relativism, because it's hard (for say, a government agency today) to show the need for the protection of human rights if you can't point to their origin.

Genesis 1:27-28 (New Living Translation)
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

a. our relationship to God
We are made in the likeness of God.We are made to be God-"like". Because we are made by God, for God, we have certain rights connected with freedom of worship, thought, and speech. The subtlety is that ONLY that which is good in us is like God. The sinful stuff we put there ourselves out of our own greed, lust, and so on. That's where the danger is.

b. our relationship to each other
God is a social being, and made us the same. According to scripture, the first time God appeared in human form (Genesis 18), there were three of him! Rublev's famous icon is a great image of God as three people in relationship with each other and with us. In the second telling of the creation of humans in Genesis, God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18). So human rights connected with the sanctity of human sexuality, the institution of family, and the right to receive respect no matter our age, gender, or nationality all come from this foundation in Genesis.

When one group of people says "We are made in the image of God, but this other group is not," the world experiences profound evil.

• 6 million Jews are killed (WWII)
• In the Balkans, two top Bosnian Serb leaders personally oversaw the executions of 8,000 Muslims in Serbian territory.
• In April of 2004, Sheikh Nur Barud gave an interview to Reuters in which he was quoted saying "All Somali Christians must be killed according to Islamic law. Such people do not have a place in Somalia and we will never recognize their existence and we will slaughter them."
• In 1994, Hutu leaders embarked on a systematic killing of 500,000 Tutsis in Rwanda.
• Today more than 2.5 million people have been displaced in the genocide that is taking place in Darfur.

Where God is not honored in our relationship with each other, deep sin takes root and flourishes and human rights are trampled.

c. our relationship to the earth and its creatures
God has given us clear directions to govern the earth and its creatures. "Fill the earth and govern it; reign over its creatures…" So when we as Christians fail to address the reduction in biodiversity, the food crisis, nuclear abuse, the amount of garbage we produce, or climate change, we are talking about failing to give the world it's basic human rights. So all those human rights we call the right to to adequate food, clothing, and shelter; the right to the preservation of good human health and the health of the Earth; EVEN the right to dignified work and sufficient rest; these come from the way God set things up in Genesis. These are at the base of the right to be human.

3. The problem: inequality of privilege
Because God made us, we have basic human rights. And it would be very easy for all of us in Cary to say to our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone, "You have the right to clean drinking water." What's MISSING is equality of privilege. Not everyone has the same access to things that we in North America have.

God's people were called for a very specific purpose. That purpose involves bringing bringing good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor. (Luke 4:18-19) The Bible even urges us to forego our own rights in order to do this.

Jesus was a prime example. He was a refugee baby in Egypt, a prophet without honor in his own hometown, rejected by the religious establishment of his own people. He became a prisoner of conscience, refusing to compromise in order to gain his release, he was falsely accused, unjustly condemned, tortured, and crucified. And he never demanded his rights, instead making the sacrifice of his life so that he might secure ours.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," wrote Paul. (Phil 2:5)

We are our brother's keeper. Human rights are our responsibility. We must set the example for this community, and for the world.

5. So how can we take action for God?
Read the post below for a list of eight ways to take action for God...

Eight Ways to Take Action for God

1. Educate yourself.
Don't wait for someone else to tell you where to look or what to look for, find out more about one of the global issues we are talking about during this 6 week series at Connections by reading up, going online, or talking to someone in the know.

2. Do a fast.
There are lots of ways to focus your attention on God and God's world through fasting. If providing clean water to the world is your passion, perhaps you might do a 40-day fast where you give up all tea, coffee, sodas, and other drinks in favor of drinking only water with your meals.

3. Donate money and time.
Commit to working on a Habitat House, or offer to head up the drive to collect gifts for Samaritan's Purse this year. Or just click and send a donation to an organization that works for peace in Darfur, or offer to help buy groceries for the pantry ministry at Connections.

4. Tell others.
Satan loves to get us isolated, because he knows we are quickly discouraged from following Jesus if we don't have the help of others. So tell a friend what you're doing for the Kingdom. Better yet, invite them to join you!

5. Pray.
There are so many ways to pray. Buy a prayer journal and begin to write your prayers. Start a prayer blog. Pray in the shower! Or join the prayer team at Connections each Wednesday.

6. Follow and join the work already being done.
There are almost always other people already working toward the goal you are passionate about. Find them online, in the community, in your own church, and join your efforts to theirs!

7. Consider: Is this my special Call from God? My passion? Am I specially gifted to take on this cause?
God has gifted you specially, and is honored when you bend your gifts and passions toward the building up of the Kingdom. Do you run, and hope to raise money for breast cancer? Raise a team and let Connections sponsor you in the Race for the Cure. Are you able to persuade? Start or join a phone campaign to raise awareness for the cause God is appointing you to.

8. Celebrate.
God loves a good party, and so do God's people. Share the success stories and let your church family rejoice with you and help you along the way. You might even inspire others to join you in God's work.

Increasing our Global Influence

by Matt Brown

The good and bad news about global Christianity
The good news is that global Christianity begins at home. The bad news is that global Christianity begins at home. Why bad? Maybe, it’s bad news because we are lazy and want to make a substantial and sweeping change, and then go home for dinner. No, you have to be like yeast. You have to work with God to know yourself, work with God to change yourself, and then work with God to serve others around you.

Where the power for global change originates
A philosophy is powered by the strength of its argument and by the acceptance of a group of shared assumptions. The Kingdom of God is powered by the Spirit of Truth, and by the fact of a common origin rooted in the image of God. Rather than compete with the Current World View (CWV), the Kingdom of God is meant to supplant the CWV, not only through the use of the established conduits of power, but also through the power that each individual believer holds within.

The use and abuse of evangelism
Many use evangelism to escape harder problems at home. Paul and the gang in Acts 16 went were The Spirit moved them to go, not where they wanted to go. We need to be honest with ourselves about our ministry goals: are they goals that we are framing based on some selfish desire or are they goals that are directed by God. That said, there are a lot of Jesus followers who think that if they are having fun, then they are doing something wrong. To these I say: “the kingdom of God is a party.” To the revelers I say: “The kingdom of God is a party that we have to be willing to die for.”

Masks vs. Grace
The CWV is an anti-gospel of perfection. It says that to have value you must be perfect. The thing that makes me want to burst with happiness is that God (the creator of the universe), does not expect that from us, and loves us anyway. The message of the Son incarnate is singular in its scope and meaning: we are fallen, we are loved, we are worth risking existence for. The CWV becomes anti-Christ when it changes the message of Jesus’ unconditional love to a cheap message of the tollbooth: come to worship, but first clean up your act. We have churches full of people who are not saved – not saved from their sins. They may be forgiven by God, but not by each other and certainly not by themselves. Many in the church are great at marathons – marathon lives at putting up false fronts, marathon lives of running from guilt, marathon lives of not ever coming close to (but endlessly circling) the Gospel of grace. To have global impact you have to move past the point of false fronts to the face of God and the image of God in yourself.

The Politics of Jesus

Was Jesus involved in politics?
In the broad definition, politics is the life of the city (Greek: polis) plus the responsibilities of the citizen, or the art of living together in a community. Hey, I bet you can guess where this is going to go! The narrow definition is the science of government, and is concerned with development and adoption of legislation. So, in the narrow sense, Jesus was not directly involved in politics. In the broader sense of the work, his entire life and work was political. Jesus came to share the life of the human community, and he sent his followers into the world to do the same.

The values of the Kingdom he proclaimed were and are radically different from the values of the world. The politics of Jesus always challenge oppression and are characterized by justice.

If Jesus was involved in politics, why weren't his followers politically active in government?
Some were. Consider Zaccheus, whose story is told in Luke 19. He was a corrupt tax collector who, after encountering Jesus, gave half his possessions to poor, and repaid four times the amounts he had cheated people.

It's also important to remember that Jesus's earliest followers operated during a totalitarian regime. Would the disciples have been politically active in the government if they had lived in different circumstances? Yes! The first followers didn't abolish slavery, but subsequent generations are very proud to have done so.

Why do some people oppose the connection of church and politics?
There always will be people who, for very good reasons, are hostile to the church being politically involved, both from within the church, and without. When a government or system seeks to subvert the church to a cause that is not consistent with the politics of Jesus, the results can be horrifying. Consider the efforts of Hitler to force the church to support the Nazi regime. The church cannot afford to give loyalty to a system that is not in conformity to the gospel.

Is global change really possible?
Absolutely. Listen to the song of Mary. This is the song of a young, unmarried, pregnant woman who claims that God can do powerful things, through people just like her. Mary was a part of a change that began in one woman, and moved through Nazareth, Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and beyond.

Yes, human beings are fallen creatures, and there is great danger in the connection of church and politics. And yes, we should continue to be the salt of Cary, of Raleigh, of Holly Springs, and the earth.

Global change is possible, and in fact, it has happened already. Consider the rising standards of hygiene and health care, the increasing respect for women and children, and the availability of education. There is a clearer recognition of human rights and a growing concern for the environment. Global change has already begun.

So what should we do?
In 1 Thessalonians 1 Paul is sending encouragement and appreciation to the church there, who have been getting God's work right. "You [have] became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. …your faith in God has become known everywhere…They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven..."

Serve and wait. An interesting combination of being busy, and being still, isn't it? It's like raising children – you work so hard, but you can't make them grow up any faster, you just have to wait for that part.

What has God given us to work with?
Four gifts:

1. Our minds. We are rational, intelligent creatures, not mules. Jesus followers are to be mature in our thinking, not babies.

2. The Bible. Not so we can whack people over the head with it by proof-texting or endless arguing. It is our job to grasp the great themes, to hear the hope, and name it to all around us.

3. The Holy Spirit. Who will open scripture to us, and empower us to apply it in our lives.

4. The community of God's people. Here's where we can do our best thinking, where we can encourage one another in service, and help each other to wait. The fact that we are so different from one another is a great safeguard against tunnel vision. We are diverse, and diversely gifted. This is the way God intended for us to live. This is our politics.

What are Angels?

Origins and Purpose of Angels
The Bible doesn’t give us much information about the origins of angels. They show up throughout scripture, but are not the focus of the story. Their primary purpose seems to be as attendants to God's throne (Daniel 7:9-10, Isaiah 6, Revelation 8:2-5, Luke 1:19, and more) and as messengers of God (Luke 1:28, Exodus 3, and more). They are a medium of God's power, and carry out God's missions.

What about evil Angels?
The Bible is clear that evil does not exist in a relationship of equality with good (dualism). Evil angels are depicted, but they in no way an equivalent power to God. Evil is a result of the trait of free will that both the angels and humans have.

Where do we get Guardian Angels?
We see guardian angels a lot in scripture. In the Old Testament, God sends angels to protect the Hebrew people during their exodus from Egypt, to lead the people to the promised land, and to destroy hostile tribes in their way (Exodus 23:20-23). Probably the most well-known reference is Psalm 91:11 where it is says, "[God] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone…"

Hallmark Angels are Lame
People have made angels creatures of sentimentalism and pathos, but this is about as helpful as the popular image of "gentle Jesus, meek and mild" in his perfectly clean and pressed white robes. The scripture doesn't show us images like this, but rather depicts angels as creatures who are powerful and often terrifying or overwhelming, holy but not without sin.

So what is all this to me?
There's so much mystery when it comes to the ways of God and angels. Perhaps our best response to the presence of angels has to do with listening (for messages God sends through angels), being thankful to God (for protection and communication), and even enjoying and joining in the praise of the heavenly hosts.

The image is an oil painting by Ralph Siriani titled "Angel" (1990).

What is Heaven Like?

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." -- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

1. Where is heaven?
The English rock group Led Zepplin did a song called "Stairway to Heaven", which is the single most requested and most played song on FM radio stations in the United States. The idea of a "stairway" to heaven wasn't new… In biblical times heaven was believed to be located in the sky where God and angels dwell. In Genesis 28, Jacob has a dream in which he sees a stairway to heaven, and angels climbing up and down on it, bringing messages down to earth from God, and up to God from earth.

But even scripture acknowledged that even heaven was too small to contain all the glory and presence of God. When the wealthy and wise king Solomon built the first temple of God, he prayed (1 Kings 8:27): "The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"

Jesus said, when he sent out his 12 disciples: "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near,'" (Matthew 10:7). Jesus also added another word to the sermon that clarifies heaven, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," (Matthew 3:2, 4:17).

He said this because heaven is experienced as salvation is received. In the Revelation 21 text we see the author's vision of heaven: "I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them." As God is welcomed fully by creation, that's where and what heaven is.

2. What will we do in heaven?
Here's what Revelation 22:3-4 says about what we will do in heaven: "The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face…" Seeing God's face and serving God are two sides of the same coin. They complete one another. So in heaven we will not only see God, we will serve God.

One of the ways we serve God is through worship (and that could be good or bad, depending on what church you've been to!). The author of Revelation 7 says this about worship in heaven: "They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: 'Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!'"

Have you ever had one of those moments when you were you, and God was God and you were ridiculously grateful that that's how it was? When worship of the almighty God just exploded spontaneously from you and all creation around you? It's indescribable joy. The Psalmist talked of the joy and pleasures in heaven when he wrote: “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11). Heaven will be a place of service and ecstatic worship, a place of joy in the presence of the Lord.

3. Who will be in heaven?
Heaven is described in Revelation 21 as a holy city, the "new Jerusalem". A city with no people in it is a ghost town. A city is only a city because it is filled with people. The people in heaven are those who have accepted God's gift of salvation. They are people who are changed, no longer saddled with the brokenness of their earthly bodies and spirits, no longer bound by aging and illness and death, nor by egos and past mistakes and fears (Corinthians 15:50-52). These transformed people are wonderfully diverse. The Bible says that Jesus has, “purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

4. Heaven understands your thirst
God said, “To all who are thirsty I will give to drink freely from the spring of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God and they will be my children,” (Revelation 21:6-7).

God knows you are thirsty for something this world just can't give. God understands that there are things you will have to face and overcome. The hope of heaven isn't a means to escape the difficulties of life. It's the hope of heaven that gives you the strength to keep facing the struggle. Maybe today Jesus is calling you. Turn to him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

May heaven break upon you like rain on the desert sands.
May you look up and rejoice in the gift being offered to you.
The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Does God send people to Hell?

by Matt Brown
Revelation 20:11-15, John 3:14-18

On being lost and dead.
One thing that we know as Christians is that without reconciliation with God we are spiritually dead. The point of much of the Old Testament is God showing us that he will send us a messiah that will save and redeem us. Even when Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden, God promises them a way back in. When God chooses Abraham he foretells of a blessing for all the nations. Our faith is built on the premise that we are fallen – a fact we see everyday – and that God has reached out a hand to save us.

God is looking for that which is lost.
Jesus reflects God’s intent when he tells us that he wants to find the lost. In the parable of the women looking for her coin he conveys the desperate sense that God is looking hard for us. The great commission is all about getting the word out. The nature of the incarnation itself illustrates the extent of God’s commitment to seek the lost. Why does God seek to save us? Because we are worth saving.

God honors free will (and we can choose hell).
Being "cast into hell" is a joint decision. While God has a salvation plan for us it is not one that allows us to remain passive. God created us with free will and he continues to honor that free will. If we deny that hell exists, we deny free will. God is putting out his hand to pull us off this path of destruction. Hell is a place that exists – that God made – for people who choose to live apart from him. God will allow us to choose that which is bent away from love and salvation.

It's never too late to start making better decisions.
You are a product of the decisions that you make every day. Everywhere you go you make decisions – taking your mind captive and conforming it to God’s will is a decision that you can make, but standing in the way of that decision may be feelings of pride. Pride makes you want to not look stupid if things don’t work out. Pride is the by-product of living in a world that has turned away from God, and is always trying to get you to turn away and buy into its products, activities, values, and distractions. When we live by the world's standards, we are conditioning ourselves to live outside of the presence of God.

How will you think about the knowledge of hell?
Hell is real and as a follower of Jesus it does not scare me for myself, but makes me want to get the word out. Last month we discussed evangelism and at the heart of the evangelistic message is the truth and call for help – salvation, from being separated forever from fulfillment from God. So what can we do and how can we spread the message of Jesus into our little corners of the world.

One mode of evangelism is to remember that you are always on duty – not perfect – but striving to be grace-full. Maybe extending grace is the most powerful way to spread the good news.

What was Jesus Doing in Hell?

Short answer: Reaching out to the people who needed him most.

Some of the standard texts connected to this doctrine are:

Job 38:17 (NIV)
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Psalm 16:9-10 (NIV)
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave…

Psalm 68:20 (NIV)
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

Ephesians 4:9-10 (NIV)
9What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.

1 Peter 3:18-22 (NIV)
[Jesus] was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

1 Peter 4:5-6 (NIV)
5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

The Apostles' Creed
This is a creed (an encapsulation of beliefs), which developed between the second and the ninth centuries after Christ, which many people in traditional liturgical churches are familiar with. Nineteenth century Methodists removed the phrase which mentions the descent into hell from their recitation of this creed, claiming it was unbiblical.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Harrowing of Hell
Sometimes Jesus' descent to hell is called the "harrowing of hell." In agriculture, a harrow is a tool for breaking up dirt. Harrowing is done in order to kill weeds and prepare a site to be seeded.

It seems inconceivable to me, having seen the relentless incursions of Jesus into the lives of the broken, that there might be some excluded from Jesus' fearless, fearsome love. I believe nothing – no darkness, no pain, no bereftness – is immune from his gracious presence. There is no place you can go, no darkness so deep that you are beyond the reach of God. He is willing to go to hell in order to bring home his harvest.

Where and what is Purgatory?

Purgatory is an idea rather than a place. In the Catholic tradition, purgatory is the state a person exists in while they are being prepared (purified or cleansed) for heaven. Protestants don't typically believe in this idea, but I find it deeply compelling.

Sin is that which bends away from God. We can get pretty bent out of shape over a lifetime. Sometimes we do the bending, sometimes we are bent by the forces around us. God-followers work to turn back to God, to unbend, but how often is it that a person dies with their lives "all straightened out"? Just because we die, does that mean God is finished with us?

I have hope that God's purpose in me will continue after my death. I am grateful to have a lifetime in which to grow straight and tall in God, but I have no illusions that I will be ready to face God in all his glory the instant I breathe my last. Like everyone else, I will rely on God to help me be ready for heaven in the next life, just as I have relied on God to help me be a part of heaven in this life.

The Hotter the Better

Here's a great online article on hell. It speaks to the deep desire we humans have for "fair play" and God's deep desire to offer grace. The author describes "hell on earth," and discusses churches who attempt to "reach out" using hell (remember the Halloween banners for Hell House you saw up in front of that big church on your row?), and also does a beautiful job of describing how he defines and why he believes in hell.

Here are some good quotes to get you going:

"Humanly, we don't like to think that someone will be able to do something 'bad' and not pay for it. We want to believe that no one will ever get away with anything."

"Chronic sinners who perpetuate unremitting evil are judged by God. No one 'gets away with' anything -- but that fact is not the cornerstone or foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Be careful that you don't get involved in some crusade that creates or assists hells on earth, even if what you are doing is called 'God's work.'"

"The path of God's kingdom of heaven does not require that Christians dangle the feet of the uncommitted over the flames of hell."

Who Invented Hell?

Note: The scripture links may use the word "hell" but my references are going by the original words discussed in this post and not later translations.

1. The creation story does not depict our modern idea of hell.
According to the early OT (Genesis 2:7), we are made of two things: dirt and the breath of life. Death was what happened when the mysterious forces that made you alive were gone. It was not about judgment, it was not about heaven/hell; it was simply a fact for all creatures. However, the scripture wasn't written all at once, so this understanding of life and death and life after death evolved.

2. Hades
Hades was the ancient Greek notion of the underworld, where people (good and bad) went when they died. . Later, the mythology of the Greek Underworld of Hades began to evolve different regions: Elysian fields was a "good" place (later Dante used it for the Catholic conception of limbo), and Tartarus was a "bad" place, among others.

3. Sheol
Sheol was the OT biblical parallel for Hades. Even though originally death was death and that was it, soon the notion of an actual place came into play. Dead people in Sheol were thought to be separated from God (Proverbs 9:18).

4. Gehenna
There was an actual place recorded in the OT called Gehenna. The name means "Valley of Hinnom" (sometimes Ben Hinnom) southwest of Jerusalem. Some of the kings of Judah engaged in some rather hideous practices in that valley. They built altars and practiced the sacrifice by fire of their children (2 Chronicles 28:3 and 33:6, Jeremiah 7:31)

This valley of Gehenna later became a landfill. Trash was heaped there, and periodically the trash would be burned down. In extracanonical Jewish literature (First Enoch, for example), Gehenna began to be used to describe a final place and state of firey torment of the wicked.

Then the NT starts to use Gehenna as the final place of firey torment, although sometimes in scripture it is a "final" place, and sometimes not, which shows that the idea is still being formed. Nothing is set in stone yet.

Mark 9 (NIV)
47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, [Gehenna] 48where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

5. Scripture isn't the only influence of our modern understanding of hell.
1300's: Dante Alighieri – epic poetry, The Divine Comedy
1500's: Hieronymus Bosch – paintings, The Garden of Earthly Delights
1600's: John Milton – epic poetry, Paradise Lost

Our Old and New Testaments were written in several different languages. When the much-loved, much-debated KJV came out, it translated all the different words into one: hell.

Take aways:

1. It's messy: Live in the tension
Before you throw out the idea of hell as something that tradition just invented, remember that we have invented a lot of things. The church's job is to interpret things that are not expressly clear in scripture, and to reinterpret things that are. Consider slavery, which is clearly supported in scripture, and was supported and practiced in the church until recently, when we reinterpreted that.

2. It's true: Alienation from God is a terrible thing
Here's a good working definition of hell, and it's the same as the definition of sin:
That which is separated from God.

3. It's heartbreaking: Let the world's pain injure your heart the way it injures God's
It's just like Matt said last week: to take any sort of satisfaction or pleasure in the hellish alienation of any of God's creatures is a grave and horrible thing.


A benediction for you:

People of God,

You are traveling a complicated spiritual landscape every day.
Stay in good spiritual shape.
Keep your tools and maps handy, and share them with others who have need.
Listen to your guides, the ones who are strong in God and experienced on the journey.
Don't be discouraged by the complexity of the trail.
Return regularly to base camp (this is one of many), to rest, replenish, and reconnect.
Stay close with your traveling companions, and in touch with your God.
Look for and rescue those who have been separated from the rest.
May your hearts be soft, and broken on behalf of those who stray away.

Your God goes with you.

Jesus and Evangelism

In this teaching series we've ended up with at least three main styles of evangelism. We checked in with Jesus to see what his style was like.

Jesus the friend:
Luke 7:36-50 (Jesus anointed by a sinful woman)
Matthew 9:9-13 (the calling of Matthew -- who is the evangelist here? Matthew is holding the dinner.)

Jesus the door-knocker:
John 8:3-11 (woman caught in adultery)
Matthew 5:19-20 (the law)

Jesus the bullhorn guy:
Mark 9:43-48 (cut off your hand if it causes you to sin)
Luke 11:37-53 (woe to Pharisees)

Some observations that came out of our conversation:

1. There's a difference between judging whether someone is "worthy" of heaven or hell, and judging how we should live each day in the here and now. The first is God's job, and the second is more ours.

2. Jesus tended to show more grace toward outsiders, and was harsher toward errant church leaders. Interestingly, he tends to be the Bullhorn guy mostly to the church! Does this mean we should have more "bullhorn" in church?

3. With people outside the church, very often they come to us (as they did to Jesus). Within the church, it is more important that we go to one another.

4. Bringing people to Jesus is a process that can take several years. I know many people who have been damaged by the church and are slowly recovering from that. Unfortunately many of the Pharisaical types of Jesus’ day have come into the church and are very busy turning people off to the message of Christ. To say it is sad is an understatement.

5. One of the special challenges of our culture is that many sins have been “de-sinned.” So sometimes it is not just about accepting a person, but educating people about the nature of God. We need to be frank and open about the sin problem. However, we also need humility. We come to Jesus just as broken and screwed up as anyone else.

6. When we get pleasure from condemning "bad" people it's akin to saying to the parent of a child who committed suicide, "What a load off you -- that kid was bad news." When sin creates a breach in someone's life, God is the first whose heart breaks. We need to be people of soft, breakable hearts.

7. Regarding the work of salvation (earlier post): When we repent of sin, God gives pardons. But a pardon is only in effect if the person who has been pardoned accepts the gift. The work of repenting and the work of accepting are ours. The work of pardoning is God's.

Response to Bullhorn

1. Are all the different styles of evangelism equally helpful in all situations?
No. There have been at least three styles in our videos: a) Bullhorn/Damnation; b) Door Knocking; and c) Friendship. While all seem to have a place, and Jesus seemed to practice them all to some extent, it seems that the Door Knocking (or 5 minute street corner conversation, a la Todd Friel) style is self-centered, if you're talking about reaching people completely outside the church. The evangelist is looking for immediate gratification, another notch on the belt, or as Matt put it, Minute Rice. It's very rules-based, quick and easy. Interestingly, Jesus mostly used this approach on leaders in the church! It seems that what our culture needs more today is a serious departure from the "quick fix." Broken people need a radical investment of time from Jesus people; a lengthy, potentially messy and complex investment in becoming friends. Deep-rooted faith requires deep-rooted friendship.

2. How do we know which style to use when?
There may be some answers in knowledge that farmers have. They spend a lot of time preparing a field, and they pick the crop to sow based on the soil and climate conditions. Seeds thrown on the side of the highway may take root, or they may not. Perhaps some of the young men Todd spoke to on the street will take the conversation another step someday.

3. Should everybody be able to knock on doors?
Perhaps not. God gives us different spiritual gifts, but all Jesus-people are called to share what we know. So a teacher may share differently than a musician. Building the Kingdom is a family business, and we need all the members of the family. Do you suppose Rob Bell and Todd Friel feel like they are members of the same family?

4. Who names your sin?
Who do you know, love, and trust enough to hear them when they call you away from sin and toward God? For whom do you serve this role?

5. What's God's role in salvation, and how much are we responsible for?
Wow, big question. Check back later in the week!

Bullhorn

Below you will see some of the questions and comments that came out of this Sunday's discussion of Rob Bell's Bullhorn video. There are some interesting comments, and a few unanswered questions here that we will take up again next week.

1. What does it mean to love someone with an agenda?
Having an evangelical agenda is certainly not anti-gospel. The problem occurs when our agenda contradicts the love of Christ. It is incredibly easy to respond to “bullhorn preachers out of frustration and anger, even retaliation. Instantly these people become enemies to us. But Matthew 5:44-45 teaches Christians to embrace our enemies lovingly and prayerfully.

2. Is trying to convert someone to your religious beliefs an agenda?
Sometimes we get so preoccupied with “trying to convert people” that we lose sight of what matters most. So what exactly does matter most? Jesus said what matters most is loving God and neighbor. But doesn't that include sharing what we know about sin and repentance?

3. Do you think it's possible to scare people into loving God?
Lots of energy around this one; the consensus was that yes, it certainly is possible. However, it may be that (as my Dad says) you can draw more flies with sugar than you can with vinegar. The bible says love "drives out" fear. One person pointed out the fact that fear fades while love endures. Love seems to be a better motivator than fear.

Another comment came from a former State student, who said that she felt that every seeking person who encountered the bullhorn preacher in the brickyard was turned away from God for good. Scary thought, that.

4. Rob says, "Bullhorn guy, I don' t think it's working. I don't think this is what Jesus had in mind." Is the "bullhorn" style every appropriate or useful? Did Jesus use it? Did Jesus ever use carrots or sticks to "get people into heaven"? **Interesting note: Rob is talking about a guy with a bullhorn yelling at people; Todd Friel is not talking about OR doing this. Seems like Friel slightly missed Rob's point here.
Several people felt that the bullhorn style was in fact useful, and we can point to Jesus using a similar approach in scripture (to the church leaders in the infamous "you brood of vipers" speech, and to the general public in his "repent, for the Kingdom of God is near" sermons, perhaps). However, we don't see Jesus using Heaven or Hell as a carrot or a stick.

It was noted that parents do use a bullhorn approach in parenting: "Don't run out in the street; a car might hit you."

5. Why is the bullhorn approach attractive to anyone?
Perhaps because a list of black and white rules seems simpler and easier.

6. Is our loudest testimony our life?
Todd Friel will challenge us here. Do we avoid seeking and holding "street level" conversations about God, sin, and repentance because we are squeamish or scared to talk about serious God-stuff? Should "street level" conversations like this be a part of our life?

Has it ever happened to you that a seeker has asked you to reveal the "hope that you have" because of your lifestyle was so compelling to them? Has a seeker ever asked you, because of your lifestyle, to tell them about Jesus (or sin, redemption, grace, hell, or anything else)?

7. Should the church engage in judgment?
The bullhorn guy is judgmental. Christians quote the bible and say all the time "It's not my place to judge anyone." Does this mean that the church should not name anyone's sin? Is that what this oft-quoted text actually teaches? And what about John 12:47, in which Jesus says "I came not to judge the world, but to save it"?

Doubting Faith

1. Faith is lived in tension
If your hope was to use faith in order to rid yourself of tension and worry, you may be disappointed to hear that faith is lived in tension. The focus text is Matthew 28:16, right after the greatest crisis the world has ever known: the crucifixion of the Messiah.

Matthew 28:16-20 (New Living Translation)
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw [Jesus], they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

Another story from Mark 9 illuminates this struggle to live your faith in the middle of tension. A dad wants Jesus to heal his son, and Jesus asks him if he really believes he (Jesus) can do it. The dad's response? "I believe! Help my unbelief."

2. Your Teeny Bit of Faith: Mustard Seeds and Children
In Matthew 17 Jesus explains to the disciples that they just need a teeny bit of faith, mustard seed-sized. So many times Christians say, "Here's a list of all of these things you must believe in (OR) can't believe in if you want to be a Christian." But the One Thing that puts the power to your mustard seed is Jesus Christ. Then faith takes root in you, and grows to become much larger and complex and beautiful. So if you're sitting there thinking that you don't have much faith, it doesn't take much.

Jesus also talked about childlike faith (Luke 18:17). Kids have this faith that they can do anything, change the world. When you ask them what they're gonna be, kids never tell you, "Ah, I'll probably just, I don't know, enter data." They have passion!

Moses' had a pretty cool epitaph in Deuteronomy 34:7: "Moses was 120 years old when he died, and his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone." Moses was a guy who lived a tense life. He was nearly murdered at birth by the very family who later (unknowingly) adopted him; he was a convicted murderer, on the run for many years; AND, not co-incidentally, the first leader of God's people (over 2 million of them before the church got big). At 120 years old, he still had a passionate faith in God.

3. Exercise for Teeny Faith
Here's a very counter-intuitive fact about living well in the tension with your mustard seed-sized faith. In order to physically exercise, I use resistance to my advantage. In the world of spirituality resistance is called doubt.

Most people are missing an experience of God because their spiritual life is so atrophied. I'm spiritually stronger at 41 than I was at 21 because I've worked through a LOT of doubts. How do you exercise your faith? You can question (hang out on The Voice of Friends!), you can serve, you can do lots of things. And more than anything else, it helps to hang out with a community of faith. It's just like with motorcyclists: one may not get noticed, but not only will every driver will see a group of forty bikes on the highway, but they'll hear them coming a long way off!

God in the Workplace

I didn't preach 1 Timothy 6:1-2 as planned this week because I couldn't reconcile talking about God in the Workplace with a text that was quite clearly talking about slavery. So I did what I always do when in a situation like this: fall back to the Master. What practices in work did Jesus have?

Matthew 14:15-21 (New International Version)
15As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 18"Bring them here to me," he said. 19And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces that were left over. 21The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

1. "Bring them here to me" / Take Responsibility For The Opportunity
It's so much easier to stand around and look for the person who is going to take charge of a difficult situation than it is to step up to the plate to swing. And how easily we get frustrated with the lack of resources. Jesus took in his own hands the resources that God made available, stepped up, and led the way.

Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see those who are skilled in their work, they will serve before kings, they will not serve before officials of low rank." People who take responsibility for the opportunity to serve will be given more responsibility and a greater scope of influence by God.

2. "Looking up to Heaven" / View Your Job From God's Perspective
God usually has a bigger purpose for our work than we do. Don't fall into the trap of "If just one person's life is touched, everything is worth it." I can't imagine God having this perspective about creation or Christ any more than I can for our own work and lives. God wants much more than that for the world.

What practices will help you "look up to heaven" and evaluate your work from God's perspective?

3. "He gave thanks" / Cultivate an Attitude Of Gratitude
We need people who focus on possibilities rather than problems, who are interesting in hunting down solutions. It's like the child who finds herself looking up at a big pile of manure and says, "I know there's a pony in here someplace!" If you have a clean barn, you probably don't have any horses. And if you have horses that are producing and doing work, you're going to have manure. You need manure to make things grow.

My friend Laura, single mother of three, has a great handwritten sign on her kitchen cabinet that says: "Someday my house will be clean." She has inspired me to put one of my own up: "Thank you, God, for this sinkful of dishes and my filthy floor, which is such a small price to pay for the three young ponies that I'm raising."

In all things, give thanks to God.

4. "He broke the bread" / Multiply The Good Stuff
How much of your time at your work, from parenting, to administrating, to selling pianos, do you spend working out of your strengths? How can you multiply the very best parts of the gifts, skills, natural inclinations, passions, abilities God gave you? If you are a leader, don't just lead people. Make more leaders. You have to think like a banker: How can you get maximum return on God's investment in you?

If there is something you are really good at, do it a LOT, not a little. Take what God's given you and multiply it.

5. "Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people." / Serve
Here's what it says about receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, "Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy." What if it's true that if you're not willing to serve, God will not use you?

What does God want in a leader?

By Matt Brown

Many come to leadership passages (especially 1 Tim chapter 3) and really drill down on the offices of the church, the context of the scripture (especially concerning the role of women), and the role of marriage in church leadership. Those ideas are important, but I want to broaden the scope a little and answer the question: What does God want in a leader? Building the Kingdom of God in this world means growing the love of Jesus in ourselves and sharing it with others. Sharing Jesus' love with others means leading. How should we lead?

Read 1 Tim 3:1-13
God wants our leaders to be loving, stable, and consistent.
We can look around us and see the presidential campaigns starting and see contradictions and obvious flaws in all of the candidates. Perhaps the most glaring flaw in any and all of our candidates is that they themselves seek and seemly covet the office that they aspire to. Godly leaders do not seek office, but instead serve and are raised to leadership by those around them. I have led from both vantage points. I have lead from a position that I coveted, fought for, and eventually acquired. Conversely, I have led from positions that I did not seek, but instead were granted because of service. It is in the latter position that I feel more effective and where I feel like I am serving the people I lead better. When I read about the qualities of leadership in 1 Timothy 3:1-13, it comes as no surprise that my best days (the days that I forget myself and my needs) result in the better leadership.

Read John 13:12 - 17
God wants leaders to be humble servants.
The world puts a low value on service. The follower of Jesus sees service to others as a bedrock condition of discipleship. When we serve others, we assume our true place in the world and become our true selves: we become people of love and light. That sounds like a dumb cliché, but it means is that we begin to bring the world, those around us, and ourselves into the true nature of God and creation through the redemptive power of Jesus. Jesus washed the disciple's feet – a slave's job – to make the point that redemption starts at meeting people's most basic needs. This act also demonstrates that we as Christians should hold not act of service as too lowly for ourselves.

Read 1 Tim 5:17-25
God wants leaders to be fair and to be treated fairly.
In the world, leaders are washed away with easy accusations or leaders can be brought before the law and found guilty and still not be punished. Our worldly leaders rise and fall almost solely on public opinion alone. You know what? A lot of us like it that way. Almost all of us WANT to be popular enough to be above the law – we covet power – we covet celebrity. Many times we might even like the leader who is in the wrong.

God has a higher standard for us when it comes to Kingdom leaders:

1. 1. An elder must be accused by two or three witnesses.
2. 2. A guilty elder must be rebuked publicly.
3. 3. We are to show no bias.

We must treat our leaders fairly – even when they fall under judgment. There is no free ride.

Our worldly leaders today rely and enjoy special treatment, but Kingdom leaders should expect the opposite. Is that a drag? No; it keeps a leader in a better state of mind because it allows a leader to understand those that he or she leads. Once again we must look at empathy as the root of good leadership. When leaders understand the least of their brothers and sisters, they adopt a vantage point that allows them to lead effectively because they understand the costs of their leadership decisions.