Church

Haiti: Six Months Later

Carrie Nye — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:24:55 -0700

The world seemed to stand still for a moment 6 months ago when a powerful earthquake rumbled its way through the tiny country of Haiti and destroying everything in its path. My friend Stuart was there. You can read and see more of Stuart in Haiti during that time here. Newspapers wrote about it and Stuart witnessed that God is very active in Haiti among the Haitian survivors. Below is a recent article Stuart wrote for Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, student magazine Contact. (Stuart and I became friends while students at the seminary). How cool it would be if the country known for so long now as the poorest in the western hemisphere, will now and forever be known as God's country!

God's Presence in the Collapsing Screams of the Haiti Earthquake

By Stuart Rankin

When the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, I was near the epicenter.

Our team, sent by Sturbridge (MA) Worship Center, where I serve, had just returned from a day of ministry in the mountains. I didn’t realize it at the time, but God had protected us in a major way.
The road we had driven across a few minutes prior to the quake had been torn open and covered by truck-size boulders from the landslides. If we had left later, our story would be different. Instead, we were at the Mission of Hope office in Grand Goave, the headquarters for a Haitian ministry with which our church mission teams regularly work.

Unlike so many buildings that collapsed under the violent shaking, including a number at the Mission of Hope school and orphanage, we remained unscathed. We would soon discover that our sleeping accommodations had been totally destroyed, and washed over by a mini tsunami. In that moment, surrounded by danger on all sides, God powerfully protected us.

Standing outside, we began to grasp the sheer magnitude of the moment. Structures were visibly damaged. With each successive aftershock, the eerie sound of buildings collapsing left an uncomfortable void of unease and anxiety, offset only by the screams that would reverberate through the city.

A woman running helplessly up and down the street approached us in desperation, carrying her beautiful little granddaughter. The three-year-old was already unconscious. A concrete slab had fallen and split open her head. This precious child had simply been standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. We tried in vain to get her to a hospital, and prayed in earnest for her life, but ultimately committed her to the Lord.

What could be done? We all felt so helpless. Everyone felt helpless. “Are the orphans okay? Please, God, protect them! How about Pastor Lex? He’s been away since morning!” The phones were down. We just determined to pray constantly and encourage one another. Night was coming quickly.

During those initial night hours, it was difficult to overcome an encompassing sense of dread and uncertainty. As we huddled under the stars with so many whose homes had been lost, we saw desperation and fear grip the people every time a tremor would strike—a relentless reminder that the earthquake seemed to be in charge.

Yet, with all of Haiti vulnerable to this spirit of fear, there arose a more powerful voice: unceasing cries to Jesus to save and have mercy. For the five nights we were there before being evacuated, we could hear people praying and worshipping until dawn across the whole city. As many have quipped, that first night, “All of Haiti became Christian.” During the ensuing days, God’s presence continued to be apparent. Just a few blocks from where we were during the earthquake, St. Francois, the local Catholic church, and behind it the priest’s home, had crumbled to the ground, burying alive the priest, a nun and 17 church members. Having feared the worst, we joyfully received word two days later that all had been pulled out alive some 23 hours after the earthquake.

I had an opportunity to talk with the priest a day later. From his mattress on the dirt ground where he lay paralyzed from his waist down, he recalled how “The Lord told me we would all be rescued.” That one word from the Lord made all the difference. Despite being trapped under rubble, he fought to keep his group from sinking into despair. As I listened to him, his strength seemingly returning, I could see the depth of faith and gratitude in his eyes. God was certainly at work.

After the earthquake, our team, which included current GCTS student William Coley, extended help by being a presence: encouraging, praying and walking alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters as they experienced this catastrophe. We sent out teams to search for survivors with relatives in the U.S. Thankfully, all the individuals we searched for were found alive. We also conducted interviews with survivors (such as the priest), and analyzed and documented the damage of many of those in the Mission of Hope community who had lost their homes.

Since the earthquake, we have sent six international relief teams to Haiti, and will continue sending teams throughout the year. In my first return visit in February, I helped coordinate on-the-ground work, including rubble removal and construction at the destroyed beach property, and construction of a wood and tarp structure which serves as a temporary church and school. I also helped distribute tents to the mountain area before the rainy season, and worked with Samaritan’s Purse to secure installation of latrines, washhouses and water filtration systems which are providing pure water for the first time to many Haitians.

Besides all the incredible reconstruction work that is happening, God is visibly at work in the hearts of ordinary Haitians. Church services are packed. The already vibrant worship is now overflowing with jubilation and thanksgiving to the God who saves. Most people have lost so much, yet they seem to have so much more: an undeniable joy.

One early morning, I was privileged to assist in baptizing 28 new believers. They had all come to know Christ through this earthquake experience. In fact, they all came from the mountainous area where, on the day of the earthquake, our mission team was distributing supplies and praying for people. I remember one lady in particular who refused our prayer. “I won’t die today,” she said. “I don’t need Jesus now.” But that night, her life flashed before her eyes, and she ran to the local pastor to give her life to Christ. She was among those baptized.

In that same area, we had, prior to the earthquake, met a voodoo priest who confessed he practiced voodoo for the money. However, he allowed us to pray for him and his family. We prayed that he would come to know Christ, and, if not, that God would remove the voodoo influence from the region. And that is exactly what happened. With the earthquake disrupting the voodoo dance he was preparing as an offering to one of his gods, all the people were praising God, even this priest. We don’t know what has become of him, other than that he lost his customers and left for Port- au-Prince. It reminded me of the Book of Acts.

Haiti faces monumental challenges over the next decade. Yet God is at work. And he can take what is meant for evil and use it for good. With the church leading the way through embodied praise, the powers of darkness that have kept Haiti in generational bondage will be silenced, and Jesus will be exalted (cf. Ps. 8:2; Mt 21:16). Having seen him at work already, that is my prayer for Haiti.

Expectations of Home

Kristin Ritzau — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:17:10 -0700

As the palm trees came into focus like angry splinters waving in the heat, I knew I was home. Over the course of the last decade, I have made this land where all kinds of differences collide my place of solace. Decades are markers of sorts the older you get and I had just returned to Southern California after my 10 year reunion in the Pacific Northwest. It seems like it went by so fast, these 10 years, and I had lived most of them in this dry place where on one side of town it is littered with the small world of movie stars and fancy cars and the other where I dwelt. That side of town wrestled with issues like social justice, grace, true love, and it is where I felt Jesus show up for the first time in my short life.

I had expectations when I moved here -- I wanted to be a movie producer. This sentiment was captured in the dusty yearbooks we were all laughing at on Saturday night where I had said "In ten years I will be producing a movie or TV show" under an energetic, youthful grin. An optimistic girl frozen in time. Those expectations dissolved after a short internship and a rough introduction into "the industry." I knew within weeks my heart was no longer in Hollywood. My expectations changed in that time of not only my career, but of my friends, my faith, my body, my community, of marriage, schooling, and family.

Expectations do funny things to people. They can dictate our life plans, our moods, our families, among many other things. Healthy expectations drive us on and encourage good habits. Unhealthy patterns are shoved on to unsuspecting kids who should have had parents and leaders who knew better, but they were kids once too... so the patterns continue.

We have kids and expect them to be kind and in some ways amazing. In return our parents should be super heroes, only to find out, some quicker than others, that they most certainly are not. Our best friends are supposed to be just that - the best. Even simpler things like giving gifts -- we expect a thank you. Or our car to start in the morning, our laptops to turn on or there not to be hair in our food. So they build and build... some into formidable structures, others becoming wonky Dr. Seuss type floppy buildings.

There are so many of these things we expect and yet for so many, they are not voiced or if they are spoken into the atmosphere, it can seem naive at times or overly ambitious or not as astute as those around you. You're up for judgment then. They can reveal deeper truths about dreams, ambitions, fears, and manipulations. We often don't know what to do with our own spoken or unspoken expectations, so how can we handle or help those around us with their own expectations? Then the emotions come: disappointment, envy, joy, anger, compassion, and the messiness of life takes over.

This weekend I was able to reflect on how expectations of my life have morphed into something I wouldn't have ever believed as a high school graduate while processing all of those things. As of last year, I was supposed to be living in New York, having just gotten married, and producing movies... ha! In reality I have been married for five years, I got a master's degree, I work with college students and write, and I live on an urban farm outside of LA. How the heck would I explain that to a fresh faced eighteen year old who had just drove away from her tiny Baptist, fundamentalist school with 42 of her fellow classmates? (Did I forget to mention that last part?)

(part of our urban farm this past Spring)

As I caught up with a few of my classmates, seems that their lives had taken similar twists and turns as well. Our expectations of family, God, and school had changed - some more than others. It was refreshing to hear one of my old friends and soccer teammates echo similar thoughts to what I have spent years trying to explain to my mother -- my schooling wasn't evil, but as I write in my book: "They missed out a lot of chances to teach kids that God wasn't Santa Claus." Life became so black and white while we spent time there, that having no grace made a rough road for a few of us as we tried to rediscover a graceful God... some never made that discovery. This doesn't mean we had permission to sell our souls to the dark side, but for me personally, I had to learn that God was present in the darkness too.

The happy song and dance of rejoice in the Lord always, God will bless you if you pray hard enough didn't work for me and it was enlightening to hear from others that they were in the same boat. It gave me a small glimpse that there are others of us drifting out there looking for something the religion of our youth didn't provide. A deeper way, a way filled with questions and community, a path of love, a journey of truth... one where people don't have all the answers and that is okay. One where we don't push others down or think we are better than the people at the "public school."

So as I sink back into the dry heat of the summer, so does my soul sink into the expectations I have for myself as I move into this next decade. I don't know if I will look back on this young woman and laugh with affection at her ambition or drive. All I know is that my expectation of home is where I am because I am at home in myself and that is an expectation I am glad to have met along this journey. And hopefully, God willing, my book can help others drifting out there to find a home in their own souls too.

Introducing Eric Bryant

Renee Johnson — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:43:28 -0700

A few weeks ago, I shared on why I'm happy to attend the Origins Conference in Los Angeles. One of the speakers, Eric Bryant, who is the Navigator Pastor at Mosaic Church is launching a new book soon called "Not Like Me." You can pre-order a copy on Amazon, and listen to this video I asked him create just for you! You can see for yourself what to do w/those peeps in our life who just happen to be not like you! :)

Go Eric!

Interview with Jonathan Merritt

Dave Sterrett — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:39:57 -0700

Jonathan is a faith and culture writer who has published over 100 articles in respected outlets such as USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Washington Post's “On Faith," BeliefNet, The Huffington Post, and Relevant magazine. He is author of Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet (2010). As a respected Christian voice, Jonathan has been interviewed by ABC World News, NPR, PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, Fox News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

Jonathan, you are very gifted writer. Briefly tell ConversantLife, why you wrote this book?

I felt compelled to write this book after having an epiphany in a theology class. It’s funny, really. I became an environmentalist at a Southern Baptist seminary. I was sitting in class and we were discussing the revelation of God, that God speaks to us through both the Bible (2 Pt 1) and nature (Rom 1). It occurred to me that most Christians don’t live a life of reverence towards God’s revelation in nature. For the next year, I scoured the scriptures writing down every time I read something about God’s plan for our planet. This became the beginnings of Green Like God.

Why do Christians, specifically need to read your book?

Because these things are rooted in the scriptures. Many Christians are completely oblivious to the creation care mandates throughout the Bible. We need to rediscover these forgotten truths. Additionally, we live in a world where people equate living an others-focused, sustainable life with being a good person. If Christians are seen treating the world and those who depend on earth’s resources in callous ways, it hurts our witness.

To the Christian, what are a couple significant passages in Scripture that speak of God’s love for creation?

In Genesis chapter 1, God created the earth. And we could just stop there. The fact that God made it is reason enough to care for it. But in the same chapter, God ascribes value to the planet by recognizing that it is “good.” In Genesis 2, God places Adam in the garden to “cultivate it and care for it.” In Genesis 7-9, God enters into a covenant “with every living thing…the whole earth.” In Psalm 19 and Romans 1, we see that the earth is here to declare God’s glory. Jesus asked us to love our neighbors and care for “the least of these,” and as we know, environmental problems disproportionately affect the poor. Finally, in Revelation 11 we find that God has set aside a time of judgment for “destroying those who have destroyed the earth.” And … this is just to name a few. We should never do anything that could be construed as worshipping the creation. But we should always honor the Creator who made a “good” creation and asked us to steward it.

For the most part, I agree with your ethical solutions. However, a page that caught me off guard, was page 66 that said in the margin, “The Bible doesn’t teach the sanctity of human life, but sanctity of all life.” You write, “Is human life sacred because it is human? No.” Jonathan, I disagree with this statement, but perhaps you could expound on your thoughts. I do agree with you that God is the creator of all life, but don’t believe that all life has intrinsic ‘sanctity’ (even though God did create it all). How do you define “sanctity of life?”

By sanctity, I mean sacredness imputed by a blessing from God. As we learn from the scriptures, God “loves all that he has made” (Ps 151). The Bible says he watches over deer and mountain goats during their pregnancy until they give birth. It says that he has given every star a name and he notices if a single sparrow falls from the sky. While we affirm that a human is worth more than many sparrows, we also realize that what makes something sacred is not “humanness” but rather that it has been created by God and is the object of his love.

On page 83, you say that one of the most common names you find in emails is ‘Al Gore.’ You provide a brief biography of Gore. What is your evaluation of Gore’s environmental philosophy of man made global warming?

I am not a scientist, and I have never done any research on climate change. I didn’t really address climate change in Green Like God except in an appendix. In that appendix, I build an approach to the issue based on Christians virtues (honesty, integrity, justice, and prudence). In the face of conflicting evidence like we are seeing on climate change, we should act prudently. As far as Gore, I believe he is probably a sincere person, but I happen to disagree with him on several things especially when it comes to some of his proposals to curb climate change.

How well has the Obama administration responded to the Oil Spill in the Gulf?

I’ve been disappointed at how the Obama administration has responded. The response was slow, foreign countries that offered assistance were turned down, and the willingness to meet with BP executives has been weak. I believe the American people are going to remember the administration’s failures for some time.

What are your thoughts on how churches could help this particular crises?

I think we should begin with mourning and prayer. Then we need to begin providing relief for the hurting people of the Gulf region. Finally, we need to require government officials to make sure the proper regulations are in place that will keep this type of problem from recurring. The eyes of America are focused on this tragedy. We have a great opportunity to turn their gaze on the Creator who stands behind the creation. I hope we do.

To what extent, do you believe the role of government should play in the protection of the environment?

I like what Russell Moore, Dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently said in response to the oil spill:

“Because we believe in free markets, we’ve acted as though this means we should trust corporations to protect the natural resources and habitats. But a laissez-faire view of government regulation of corporations is akin to the youth minister who lets the teenage girl and boy sleep in the same sleeping bag at church camp because he 'believes in young people.'”

The government exists, in part, to restrain humans from doing evil. At the same time, we have to remember that over-regulation or over-taxation is not an appropriate use of governmental power. There is a fine line between proper regulation and governmental overreach. I am not a policy expert, but we need some good Christian political minds helping us think through this.

Church Shopping Exposed

Manuel Luz — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:40:01 -0700

We’re here this Sunday morning in the lobby of What’s Happening Community Church, located in the suburbs of Caucasian Falls, USA. A couple new to the church has just exited the service and has approached the preaching pastor. Let’s listen in.

Pastor: Good morning! You’re new, right?

Joe: Hi. Yes, I’m Joe and this is my wife, Jill.

Pastor: Great to have you here this morning.

Jill: Yes, first time here. Really loved the service.

Pastor: Well, God bless you both.

Joe: Do you have a moment? We were just wondering if we could ask you a few questions.

Pastor: Sure. Fire away.

Joe: How many services do you have here?

Note: This is code for, “I like to sleep in late on Sundays.”

Pastor: Oh, we have three identical services. A Saturday night and two Sunday morning.

Joe: Great. I really liked the sermon this morning. It is so good to hear a sermon with meat, not the kind that’s, well, you know, milk.

Note: This is code for, “I listen to a lot of Christian talk radio, and I want my sermons to sound just like my favorite Christian radio personality.”

Pastor: Well, you’ll find that we just preach from “The Word” here.

Note: This is the typical response that pastors have to these kinds of questions. I think there’s a seminary class that coaches them on these answers.

Joe: Do your sermons always run that long though?

Note: This is code for, “It will be football season soon, and I don’t want the sermon to eat into the pre-game show.”

Pastor: Well, you’ll find that we just preach from “The Word” here.

Jill: I take it that you have a children’s ministry?

Pastor: Yes, we have an excellent children’s ministry. We have programs up to sixth grade on Sundays.

Note: Jill is secretly relieved at this statement, since she goes to church in part to get away from her kids.

Jill: Do they have an indoor jungle gym? Because First Baptist down the street has an indoor jungle gym and the kids just love it.

Pastor: No I’m sorry, we don’t have one.

Note: Wrong answer. The pastor makes a mental note to talk to the facilities director about installing that zip line and climbing wall next to the snack bar.

Jill: Oh. That’s really too bad. How about Junior High or high school? Is it very big? Do they play loud rock music there?

Note: At this point, the pastor must make a critical decision. On one hand, they could be the kind of couple who don’t want rock music influencing their teenage children. Or they could be a couple that have teenagers who desire a more cutting-edge program. It’s a coin toss, really.

Pastor: Uh, the answer is…Yes?

Joe: Oh good.

Pastor: Yeah! In your face, First Baptist!

Jill: Excuse me?

Pastor: Uh, I said, lovely place, First Baptist.

Jill: Oh.

Pastor: Do you have any other questions?

Joe: No, I think that’s it. Thanks so much for your time.

Pastor: So, will we be seeing you next week?

Jill: Yes, we think so. Thanks so much.

Pastor: Well that’s great! Just wonderful! Make sure you visit our coffee bar on the way out. Tell them the mocha frappuccinos are on me!

Jill: Oh, golly. You know, Joe is lactose intolerant.

Joe: Yeah, well, I’m afraid we won’t be coming back after all.

Note: Joe and Jill leave, disappointed, but ready to go shopping again next Sunday. The pastor chases after them…

Pastor: But…but…did I tell you about our free gym membership?!

[Photo compliments of says-it.com.]

New Endings and Old Beginnings

Jim Farmer — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:18:10 -0700

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I didn’t mean to take a hiatus from blogging. It sort of just...happened. Kind of like how becoming the foursquare mayor of your local McDonald’s and Chipotle just…happens. You don’t set out to become the mayor but a conflux of proximity, deliciousness, and competitiveness converge and suddenly you find yourself making a point to eat there simply so you can “win”. (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, go visit www.foursquare.com. You’ll either instantly get it or instantly hate it. You can probably guess which side of the spectrum I’m on.)

Anyway, my hiatus evolved as I began wrapping up some projects I’ve been involved with over the last couple years - the most important of which was my Master’s Degree.

While I’m excited to have finished that milestone, it is bittersweet in that it is just one of many major seasons of my life that are suddenly wrapping up.

I’ve found myself looking back quite a bit these past few months.Since my last post, I have:

...celebrated my 30th birthday

...wrapped up a multi-year project as a business manager for an indie film

...watched dear friends move half way around the world - to New Zealand!

...said goodbye as another pair of dear friends moved to Colorado (at least it’s not on the other side of the world - I’m talking to you, Keith & Erin!)

...prepared to say goodbye to a third pair of dear friends moving from California to Arkansas

...graduated from school - which also means saying goodbye (or at least “won’t have an excuse to see you as often”) to my school community

...worked through transition at my home church as our teaching pastor prepares to leave

...said goodbye to what I can safely say is my all time favorite television experience (it’s more than a show!) - LOST.

What’s interesting about the timing of these endings is this: each and every experience on that list has really been a part of my post-separation existence. The friends that are moving away formed a large portion of the community that provided the support I needed as I fought for my marriage and healed from the pain of divorce. The film project and school provided much needed distractions during times when life felt all but overwhelming. The pastor at my church preached sermons that helped strengthen my anchor of faith.

LOST provided much needed escapism during times where life on a polar bear infested, time traveling, smoke monster guarded island seemed a much better alternative to chugging through the emotional entanglement of divorce. (Perhaps if my ex-wife and I crash landed on the island we could have worked through our issues like Jin & Sun! Of course, that would also mean *SPOILER ALERT* drowning together in a submarine.)

All of these new endings occurring at once. All at a time when I’m emotionally and spiritually restored. All forming a clear picture of a tapestry of support when I needed it most. They say God works through the work of his disciples. The people in this tapestry are His proof.

But thinking about all these new endings also got me thinking about beginnings. Sure, there’s the excitement of what lies ahead as slates are wiped clean and new opportunities develop. There are many other friendships, many other members of my community that have beginnings dating back longer than I care to admit. When I think back to those relationships, they all had their “new endings” too - graduation, marriage, children - all events that marked the end of one aspect of our relationship. And as time has proven, the beginning of a whole new level of friendship and community.

In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. - Romans 12:5 (NIV).

It seems to me that when it comes to relationships, even when new endings occur, old beginnings are strengthened again. After all, we are all one body of people - united in His gracious love.

To my friends (and pastors, and TV shows) who are journeying to new adventures, I am grateful for our old beginnings - and look forward to many more new endings together in our future!

Scratching Where They Itch?

Brett McCracken — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:07:05 -0700

One of the most troubling things I see when I look at contemporary Christianity is the mentality that the church should fashion itself according to the needs and wants of the “audience.” It’s an idea that grew out of the evangelical church growth and seeker movements and is practically an epidemic today. Almost every evangelical church these days is to some extent thinking in terms of what the audience wants and how churches can provide them with a desirable product. It’s unseemly, to be sure, but it’s just a symptom of the consumerist culture we live in. Presumably, it’s how things must be done. Whatever else you might say about a product you’re trying to sell, the one thing you know for sure is this: the audience is sovereign.

But of course, the question the church must reckon with is this: is Christianity a “product” we must sell? Looking at the language many pastors and Christian leaders use today, it certainly sounds like it. In Pop Goes the Church, Tim Stevens argues that effective churches are those that identify the needs of their audience, speak their language and “scratch where they itch.” In Branding Faith, Phil Cooke says that the church needs to “start thinking in reverse,” by focusing on the audience rather than the message and realizing that “it’s not the message you send, it’s the message that’s received that counts.”

Cooke also says this: “Pastors, Christian leaders and broadcasters always thought they had the answers to what their audience wanted and, more important, the audience would listen. Today the audience is in charge. In a virtually unlimited channel universe, the audience has more choices than ever before, and for us to justify their attention, we need to get on their wavelength.”

Indeed, it may be true that people have more choices than ever before and that Christianity is competing for increasingly depleted pockets of attention, but I hardly think the answer to this dilemma is to start with the conceit that “the audience is in charge.” Especially for Christians, it should be clear that the audience is not and should not be sovereign! The audience consists of broken, depraved, n’er do well sinners. God is sovereign. He comes first, not the audience’s idea of what they want God to be or what they want from religion.

The problem with the “audience is sovereign” approach is that audiences rarely want what is really in their best interest. Giving audiences what they want might make a company money, but it rarely satisfies the audience in the long run. And it hardly ever edifies their soul. Furthermore, in terms of Christianity, what the audience “wants” has very little bearing on what Christianity actually is. In a market economy, consumer needs are those that consumers identify for themselves. But as David Wells points out in The Courage to be Protestant, “the needs sinners have are needs God identifies for us, and the way we see our needs is rather different from the way he sees them… The product we will seek naturally will not be the gospel.”

To “scratch were they itch,” then, seems like a futile pursuit for a church trying to win converts to the Gospel. People are itching for a lot of things, and some of them might actually add up to what the gospel of Christ offers, but at the end of the day the gospel is defined outside of and with little regard to whatever it is people think Christianity is or should be.

The logic of consumerism is that people want what they want and get what they want, for a price. It’s all about ME—the brands I buy, the products I consume, the “gimme more” mindset of never having to wait long to have any desire fulfilled.

I’m not sure there are any circumstances under which Christianity fits comfortably into this paradigm.

To position the Gospel within this consumerist framework is to open the door to all sorts of distortions, mutations, and “to each his own” cockamamie variations. If it’s all about selling a message that scratches a pluralism of itches, how in the world will a cohesive, orthodox, unified gospel survive?

In his article “Jesus is not a Brand” in Christianity Today, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson raises the warning that by adopting a marketing mindset, the church “will subtly contort the gospel into mere personal fulfillment,” focusing only on the benefits of becoming a Christian and presenting a message “not fundamentally different from commercial advertising about the existential benefits of this car or that soap.” And this sort of “what can the church do for me?” mindset is completely contrary to living a God-centered, neighbor-focused life.

To conceive of Christian identity in terms of consumer satisfaction is the wrong way for the church. We cannot let ourselves—or our message—be form-fit to the fickle demands and fluctuating interests of the market.

As Wells puts it: “Relevance is not about incorporating something else as definitive in the life of the church, be it the hottest marketing trend, the latest demographic, the newest study on depression, what a younger generation thinks, Starbucks, or contemporary music. None of these is definitive. None should be allowed a defining role in how the church is strengthened and nourished.”

There are a lot of things that scratch were the average person itches. Things like aspirin, coffee, reality TV, cookies, cigarettes, sleep, sex, and orange juice. To place Christianity in that category of just “one among many” desires that people might have is to do it a monumental injustice. Christianity transcends all that. It is much bigger and above all earthly whims, fads, desires and emotional cravings. If we think we can “sell” it best on the terms of the consumer, we are gravely mistaken.

Exclusive interview with Jim Belcher and Mike Erre

Conversant Live — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:22:02 -0700

Here is ConversantLife's exclusive LIVE interview with Jim Belcher and Mike Erre, two of today's most innovative pastors and communicators.The guys, who had never met before this interview, talked about their recent transitions and their books.

Mike & Jim from ConversantLife on Vimeo.

Learning From My Mistakes

David Swanson — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:51:22 -0700

As I approach my 20th year of ordained ministry, I can say that my biggest mistake has been trying to will transformation in people's lives. At one point, I was so consumed by my own efforts and creative ideas to revitalize a church that I completely omitted God from the process. I was going to do it by the sheer force of my determination and work ethic.

Right. Try that. See how it works for you. I was trying to lead people towards abundant living, but I didn't know it myself. Guess what? I didn't lead them very far or very well.

Psalm 30 became a constant refrain for me as I found my heart crying "out of the depths." I had to address certain habits and ways of thinking in my own life before I was going to lead effectively towards vitality in Christ.

From that posture of searching, the contents of my new book, Vital Signs, began to emerge. The lessons became the foundation for a sermon series that I preached in Ft. Myers, Florida. With revision and further growth, I preached it again at First Presbyterian, Orlando. In both churches, God has been so faithful to do what I could never do on my own: revitalize and heal people and communities.

Too often, I think we depend on a new program, a new study, or a new mountaintop experience to get us going. The reality is that we need to invest more in the daily walk of discipleship instead of constantly searching for the next spiritual fix. Yes, those things can help, but an abundant Christian life is one carved over years of faithfully engaging in the basics--the solid food of God's Word, the power of worship, the blessing of community, the joy of giving, the sense of purpose derived from mission. These are the essential elements through which God pours out His life in us.

My desire is to use this space to personally share with you what I have learned--including what I have learned from my mistakes--so that you will find a deep hunger to know more of these things and more of the presence of God in your life. It is not something I have mastered by any means, but it is a journey I humbly share with you.

A Biblical View of Vomit

bo.white — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:07:52 -0700

Does God get sick of the whole world? At first glance, it seems like indeed there is a link between events in the world and the anthropomorphic description of God getting ill. On one particularly slow Sunday in church (confession here: I do sometimes take notes on the sermon and when the sermon doesn’t lend itself to notetaking, then I still write some things down anyway) and so I began to think to myself, ‘is there really something that makes God sick to the point of actually vomit?’ And, to my surprise, I actually found out that there is a whole bunch of verses on vomiting in the Scriptures. In fact, there are 13 separate occasions in which the act, what we call throwing up—getting seriously ill to the stomach, whatever you’re comfortable with, is not only mentioned, but actually references God on more than one occasion. Which leads me to conclude that yes, God gets sick at times.I won’t recount all 13 passages. They are graphic to say the least, particularly the one in Job 20:15 that has Zophar speaking and talking about the treatment of the poor. Ok…never mind, I will share it and it goes like this:

4 Do you not know this from of old,
since man was placed on earth,
5 that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like a dream and not be found;
he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
and his hands will give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
it is the venom of cobras within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon the rivers,
the streams flowing with honey and curds.
18 He will give back the fruit of his toil
and will not swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he did not build.

Despite the myriad of t-shirts and campaigns advocating for the poor, this verse, for obvious reasons, has yet to make it on the shirt or bumper sticker.

The most famous vomit text is probably in Jonah where the fish vomits Jonah onto dry land, at the direction of God himself. In the case of the fish, God wasn’t sick, but definitely made the fish sick and the text literally says that the LORD spoke to the fish which lead to Jonah being spit out. There is only one passage of Scripture on vomit (stomach infection) that is in both the Old Testament and New Testament. And since it’s rare that there’s a passage fully repeated in both testaments, let alone one that concerns vomit, it’s worth setting them side by side.

“Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly.”
(Proverbs 26:11)

“The dog returns to its own vomit,
and the sow, after washing herself,
returns to wallow in the mire.”
(2 Peter 2:22)

A few reflections on this repeated passage are worth noting.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

People who are wise in their own eyes, meaning this: they do not seek the wisdom of God, have certain characteristics. These traits are explained in vv. 6-11, ending with the phrase that Peter repeats in the New Testament.

In some health projects around the world, a friend of mine tries to measure the following three things in terms of impact in a village, community, or city. These three are 1) knowledge, 2) attitude, 3) practices.

What knowledge needs to be disseminated? What attitude is prevalent and could be a barrier to growth? What are the practices that need correcting? Now, let’s do a KAP assessment of our own interaction with the world and the pressing global issues of our time like poverty, AIDS, peace/conflict, malaria, and so forth. Would people know that we sought God, knew our Bibles, practiced repentance, etc….?? To return to the same mistakes over and over—without making some changes, is something some writers have called insanity. The Bible calls it returning to our own vomit.Which leads me to the most striking point of spitting up in all of Scripture….

14 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

And here we see, in Revelation 3, the very same issue that Proverbs and Peter each refer to….what makes God sick and what makes God want to vomit, is ‘self reliance’. Reliance upon our own performance, our own good works, will not only create apathy (lukewarm—neither hot nor cold), but self reliance will separate us from God. If God blessed each of us with a 10 million dollar check tomorrow, we would have to still fight self reliance. Are we wise in our own eyes? Do we rely on our own good gifting? Are we truly wise enough to do life without God’s input?

The great irony is this: what often makes God sick is what makes our culture tick. We want to rely on ourselves. It’s the fine line we tread when we advocate for the poor and the needy around the world—they lack self-reliance and know it. And when we show them Christ, we show them not a path to self-reliance, but a path to God reliance. It’s a subtle, but powerful difference. God reliance is long-term, messy, and takes the acknowledgement of sin and selfishness. Self-reliance is faster, easier, and short-term in scope. And this is difficult because we have yet to decide in our own culture, ‘when do we say enough?’ in regard to food, entertainment, and clothing. When are we content? When are filled up?

In recent months, people living in rural villages and in poverty around the world have also taught me much about God-reliance and have encouraged me to fight against self-reliance. Is it possible, then, to end poverty through relationships? Do we have the will to eradicate preventable disease like malaria in our lifetime? I have much to learn, but I pray that along the way I won’t remain a fool who returns to folly like a dog returns to, you guessed it, his vomit. There’s got to be a better way than that.

-bo