Wrapping Up the First Semester

I've read a lot of blogs written by various campus ministers and I can assure you that I haven't gained the wisdom and experience that many of them have and demonstrate in their ability to ascertain and gauge what's going on in their campus.  However, I did want to offer up some observations as a novice in the world of campus ministry on our campuses.

In my first semester, I have seen many things:

College students have to deal with a lot of stuff.  Whether it's simply the little (yet significant) job of figuring out how to become the person they want to be or dealing with a homicide or fatal car accident, the typical college student has to learn a lot.  They are constantly confronted not only with how to assimilate all the information of academic study in their life, but also all of the emotional, relational, spiritual, etc. experiences that need to find a home in their identity and existence.

College students love Jesus.  Often I find that college students mean what they say and say what they mean.  If a college student has made a decision to follow Jesus enough that they will be motivated to worship in all kinds of settings out of their own volition, it will be a faith that has some level of potency.  I find very few college students that have this acceptance of "going through the motions".  It is refreshing.

Give a college student something compelling to buy into and they will show up.  Whether it's providing a community and a place to belong or diving into an intense study of the Text, students aren't nearly as flaky as I was led to believe.  We have consistent attenders of CARE Groups, Life Groups, studies, worship service and volunteer opportunities.  It seems as though the problem rarely lies with the motivation of the student, but rather in the compelling nature of the story we're telling.

This is the time!  As I've watched my first round of graduates head out to the work force this semester, I've never been more convinced of how perfect the timing is to work with college students in this part of their personal development.  Never have I seen a demographic so ready to take on challenges and still be coached -- so hungry to learn and so driven to make a difference.


As I've done different studies on the generational distinctions, I wasn't being led to believe that there was much hope for inspiring this generation.  It made me concerned for our future.  I now am excited about the folks who will be leading our world in the decades to come.  There are still a lot of thinkers, some movers and shakers, poets and prophets -- and yes -- plenty of dreamers.

I only pray that the leadership and shepherding we provide them with will lead them to further the Kingdom, believe that God believes in them, and ask really big questions of themselves, their culture, and their God.  It's a challenge to all of us who have the opportunity to influence the life of a young adult.  It's not a lack of potential, inspiration, or commitment.  Instead, we'll be confronted by how prepared and committed we are to lead them in the best way to live and encourage them to follow the Rabbi that turned the world upside down.

Would the early believers "Occupy"?

In the days of Jesus, the Roman empire had created a world of social, political and economic injustice.  This injustice was demonstrated largely in two ways.  First, there was the "haves" and the "have nots".  I have heard some scholars estimate that well over 80% of the empire's wealth was owned and controlled by less than 10% of the population.  There was the ruling elite (both political and religious) that held the rest of the empire in economic bondage.  Most estimates will suggest that a God-fearing Jew in the first century would have been taxed somewhere between 70-85% of their income.  This disparaging gap can be seen by simply studying the living structures of first-century Jerusalem; less than 10% of the population occupied over 40% of the real estate, while the other 90% was crammed into the remaining space not taken up by the many palaces owned by the "haves". 

Secondly, there was violent, military oppression that made an example of anyone who did not bend the knee to Rome's empirical domination.  Rome would travel through the countryside with a method that they referred to as "slash and burn" every two generations making sure that anyone who attempted resistance would be incapacitated for almost a century, if they survived at all.  This kingdom was touted by Rome to be the "eternal kingdom of peace" and its leader than to be the Prince of Peace. Now, even though few were fooled into thinking that this method or rule was actually peaceful, the empire had ushered in 85 years of uninterrupted economic prosperity. 

The response of the first-century people, particularly those who worshipped God, was varied.  One response was the Sadducees, the religious priesthood who didn't really respond at all, except to leverage their place in the empirical system to their advantage and make big bucks - corruption at its worst.  Another response was that of the Pharisees; to essentially accept the empire for what it was and harp on people to just be more obedient, everything will work itself out in the end.  Another response was that of the Zealots, who mounted numerous and consistent violent revolts against the system of injustice, unashamedly pursuing their belief in 'redemptive violence'.  The Essenes decided that they would escape the injustice altogether, run off into the corner of the desert and live life as they knew it should be; of course, this approach at its worse could potentially ignore the injustice and the oppressed entirely.  Finally, another group, the Herodians, realized that if they simply compromised their belief and worship of a just God who seeks the restoration of an unjust world, they could say one thing and do another; they could voice their worship of God with their lips, but in all practical arenas give in to the injustice of empire and life would be quite comfortable. 

As the daily discussion rages on about the Occupy Wall Street movement, I cannot help but notice the almost endless similarities.  That being said, there are also some distinct differences. One significant difference between first-century Rome and twenty-first century America is that there certainly is not the violent military oppression of those who denounce the empire's denomination.  However, I have struggled with the thought that Pax Americana may just simply be a more subtle violence.  Cloaked in the language of democracy and free enterprise, I have wondered if this "less violent" empire is any more just.  To quote John Crossan, in a book I was reading a few days ago, "Maybe excessive debt is a far better way of owning or controlling individuals and nations than the old-fashioned forms of direct slavery and direct colonialism?" 

The numbers would certainly support such a suggestion, as they have only increased in their testimony to injustice.  If one thought the first-century Roman numbers were bad, they have increased ten-fold.  Now, an estimated 1% of the world now owns and controls almost 90% of the world's wealth.  But enough of the numbers, I would rather contemplate some of the practical similarities and what they might have to say to our current situation. 

As the Occupy movement continues, I notice that we still have the same responses we did 2,000 years ago.  We have our Zealots, some of them crazy, some of them not so crazy, who respond to the empire with active and/or passive violence; I have been glad that, barring a few isolated incidents, the Occupy movement has been a nonviolent one.  We have our Pharisees, those who seem to be oblivious to the suffering in the world and keep insisting that the key to our success is obedience in the next piece of legislation.  We certainly have our Sadducees who leverage the situation for their own corrupted gain. 

It's the last two groups that bring me pause.  We have our Essenes, who like to hole up in the corner and escape the chaos and oppression and seek Kingdom.  I find myself in this category along with much of my emerging culture and generation, willing to say the right things, but really not wanting to engage the injustice in a meaningful way.  I'd like to keep it at arms length, cold and distant.  I really don't want to know the names of the protestors or hear their story.  As a good friend put it, "I don't want to let them air their dirty laundry, because then I might just have to get dirty myself." That might be unfair to the Essenes, but that was at least their potential danger. 

But then there are the Herodians who frustrate me a great deal.  They've given themselves to the empire and aren't ashamed of it - it's working out quite well for them (selling yourself to the Empire usually does).  They consistently say things like, "Grow up and get a job!  Quit sitting around and whining about it."  But that's just the point, the Occupy movement isn't about jobs.  It's about injustice.  It's a group of people who are trying to say that it's not OK for there to be such a gap between the 1 and the 99.  It's just not right - it's not just.  And they don't want to contribute to such an unjust empirical system.  I'm concerned with how many Jesus followers are not only accepting of the system, but actively defensive of it.  There may be many ways to fix it, but we should at least acknowledge that this isn't what God intended. 

But then, I want to ask about Jesus.  Where did Jesus fall?  What did Jesus invite us into?  And what did the early believers do that turned such a corrupt Roman empire on its head? 

Did it look like Occupy Wall Street? 

No it did not. 

The early believers certainly didn't mount a violent revolt to overthrow an unjust regime.  But, they also didn't set up camp in Caesarea and demonstrate or protest.  No, the early believers actively, practically and directly subverted the values of the Empire.  And when people saw a different kind of reality available for the taking, they took it.  The early believers refused to worship a system built on idolatry and injustice.  They started eating differently, shopping differently, living together differently.  They refused to acknowledge the lies of the empire. 

I've wondered if the early believers would have even had 401k's or health insurance, shopped at WalMart or listened to the media's many news outlets.  From what I experienced during my studies in Turkey, I can confidently say I think they would have went without.  I think they would have went out and invited the Occupy protestors to dinner to show them a better way of living.  A way that didn't even acknowledge the presence of the Red, White and Blue - but instead exalted the cross, the slain Lamb, and an empty tomb. 

We have a long way to go, family, before we can invite those seeking justice to our homes for that kind of dinner.  But my prayer is that we might continually be unsatisfied with what the Empire has to offer.  My prayer is that we would be inspired and reminded by those who choose to camp out in a park and insist that this isn't how the world is supposed to be.  My prayer is that we would begin to cast down our idols of comfort, security, and luxury and trade them in for a potluck in the remote corners of Ephesus where we invite Essenes, Herodians, Pharisees, Zealots - and even Sadducees - to experience the revolutionary love of a God seeking to restore a creation where there is enough for all.  

 P.S. I will be the first to lump myself in the category of those who need to learn. I have my retirement investment and health insurance. I shop at WalMart and consume a lot more goods and media than I should. It has been difficult to figure out exactly how to pursue such a reality within the imperfect communities we have. My suggestion is not that such a life is easily attained, but I do find it helpful to have voices encouraging us to keep our eyes the greater Kingdom that we are citizens of. And I DO have hope that such a community can be realized. I sat in a house church in the ruins of Priene, a first century city in Turkey, and I witnessed what group of believers did to change the world. My fear is what it might take for God to drive us into the arms of faith, trust, and community...

Into the Depths of the Text

I have been excited to write you this latest update about what's been happening in our ministry.  My last post about fulfillment alluded to just how much God has done in my current situation that has gone beyond what I could have expected.  Everything about my current lifestyle and vocation is a true blessing to me.  There will be a time in the near future where I will outline just what the specifics have looked like this semester and all the ways that God has shown Himself in our ministry this fall.  For now, I wanted to tell you about one development that I have been the most excited about.

Those of you that have heard my presentation know that the very reason I felt the call to pursue campus ministry was that it provided me with the perfect environment to pursue a first-century discipleship model. I have been wanting to try and create a space where I could work with a handful of students and passionately pursue the same kind of 24/7 ministry that Jesus had.

Part of what it means to start pursuing this dream is creating some sort of "core" group of students and/or a program that begins to build momentum and critical mass.  Once that kind of presence is in place, it will be easier to determine what God wants to do with such a program.  Well, through the partnership that we have with the local church here, Real Life on the Palouse, I have made many contacts with students that have born a lot of fruit in pursuing my dream.  Over the last two months, I have watching God start two study groups (I'm calling them "the BEMA Group"), one on each campus.  The University of Idaho group meets three days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours each day and the Washington State group meets on Thursday mornings for a couple hours.  It has become an amazing time of inspiring students with the Text and trying to convince them that their walks with Jesus deserve so much more commitment than merely church attendance.

The students have become a HUGE inspiration for me.  They study the Text with an intensity that I haven't seen -- and they are sharp! Some of my students have picked up and pointed out things that I haven't even seen yet.  What God does in them is fantastic!  The study is all about the Text and is my tribute to everything I experienced under Ray VanderLaan in Israel and Egypt.  How can we light a fire under these students to get the Word in them -- the Word that "always accomplishes its purpose" and "never returns to Me void"?  This seems like a great start.

People have asked me what my plans are for the future of the group.  I have loved to see the intensity and passion building with each meeting.  My plans are to spend time in a two-year study atmosphere where we become incredibly familiar with the text.  At the end of that study time, I hope to take those talmidim (or "disciples") and work hard to show them (literally, show them) what it looks like to live out the story we've become so familiar with.  Obviously, with such a plan, it is important that we find and recruit underclassmen to enter the program in such a way as to finish it.

It has been really encouraging to see our upperclassmen make serious comments that they are considering finding a way to get a job and stick around to continue the study.  Bless God for opening up these avenues to minister to students and then working in their lives, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to light a fire for His story and His Text!

May God receive the glory and craft this ministry into everything He wants it to be!

FULFILLMENT: A Blog Post

Last week, I was walking down Greek Row on campus and I was overwhelmed by a thought that has been following me the last few weeks:

"I absolutely love what I do."

Now, before I dive too deep into this thought (and I do hope to dive deep and reflect if you'll hang with me), I was hoping to get a little nostalgic for a moment as I allowed myself to do as I walked across campus last week.  I wanted to consider all the things that God had done in my life to bring me to this point.

"The Call" -- My senior year of high school, God places a very definitive call on my life for vocational ministry.  I changed whatever plans I may have had and adjusted my course to attain ministry training at Boise Bible College.  It is impossible for me to even imagine where my life would have been without that calling on my life.

"SHECHINAH: The Church" Boise, ID -- For five years of my life, I served as a pastor at a church in Boise.  It was always a small church, but it was a safe environment for me and my family.  I can't see how there could have been any other place for me to experience God and the ministry in such a way that would allow me to dream big dreams, form big passions, learn big love, and become the person I am today -- the person God created me to be.  I know that if you are to boil me down to my essence, who I am at my core and the fire that burns in my heart, those seeds were sown in a little community of faith at 5405 S. Five Mile Rd.

"Twin Falls Reformed Church" Twin Falls, ID -- Home.  Always has been. Always will be.  A priceless, priceless time of training where God taught me how to be less of a narcissistic control-freak and more of a leader and shepherd for God's people.  I will always marvel at the patience of a handful of guys and gals that took my fiery, passionate naiveté and taught me how to use it.  I owe my ministry effectiveness to God bearing fruit in my life, but He has unquestionably used my time at TFRC to become useful in His Kingdom.

"I absolutely love what I do."  I had just left a meeting with a student at the University of Idaho.  We met to discuss what it means to "evangelize" and to fulfill our call to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  We talked about "the story" -- the biblical narrative and what it's trying to tell us.  As we talked, the lights continued to come on and a few little sparks began to start a flame in this student's life.  For me, nothing is more fulfilling than that moment: When the eyes light up and the corners of the mouth begin to smirk as somebody begins to see God in a new way.  I left that meeting thinking of all the ways that God may use this very successful and promising student in the future of our culture.  And I realized that I love what I do.

I hurried over to another location on campus where I would spend the next couple hours leading a small group of students through an in-depth study of the literary aspects of the Text.  As we discussed the family of Abraham, the structure of the writing in Genesis, and what it means to "trust the story", I saw students devouring the Text, pouring over their Bibles and notes and making observations that I hadn't seen yet.  And I was reminded of how much I love what I do.

I ran over to a meeting at the church to discuss with the teaching pastor the meaning of advent and engage in deep theological conversation that would continue over the course of a few days and would stick on our minds and our hearts.  I watched as each person engaged in the conversation naturally filled their God-given role in how they saw life and applied the story of the Scriptures.  We all appreciated the contribution of the other and felt like we were all becoming the people God needed us to be -- at least for a moment.  For the first time in my life, I feel as though I have found the perfect fit to be the person God has called me to be.  I'm living in the "sweet spot", the wheelhouse, where I can teach and lead and challenge -- and it helps the team, it doesn't hurt it.

But before I clicked on the spiritual cruise-control and settled in for the comfortable ride ahead, I was jolted back to the reality that now would be a great time to make some helpful observations about living in the "promised land" -- to try and be a little proactive so that God doesn't have to cart me off to captivity to make me useful again.  I'm not naive enough to think that these high times stick around forever.  I needed to make a few observations and hope that others help me in my walk.

God never intended for me to be happy -- or comfortable.  He intends for me to be more and more like Jesus.  There may be times where God stops up the Jordan and leads us into the land flowing with milk and honey, but there's a whole other mission waiting for us when we find our new home.  There's a world out there that needs to see who God is and that urgency is what compels us to die to ourselves each and every day and continue to let God redeem us from those things that stunt our growth.

The call to dwell in humility is never-ceasing and a constant challenge.  The promised land does something to your heart.  God warned the Israelites about it before they got there.  He reminded them of when they had settled down.  And He continued to remind them to after they failed to pursue it.

Make sure you don't forget God, your God, by not keeping his 

commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today.

Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses

and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more

money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up - make

sure you don't become so full of yourself and your things that you

forget God, your God, the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery;

the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness, those

desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions; the

God who gave you water gushing from hard rock; the God who gave you

manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never

heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you

so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.

If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by

myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!" - well, think again. Remember that

God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as

to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors-as it is

today.

If you forget, forget God, your God, and start taking up with other

gods, serving and worshiping them, I'm on record right now as giving

you firm warning: that will be the end of you; I mean it-destruction.

You'll go to your doom-the same as the nations God is destroying

before you; doom because you wouldn't obey the Voice of God, your God.

 Deuteronomy 8:11-20 (The Message)

There's not much to add to that by way of commentary.  It's a tough thing to remember.  It's hard to deal with blessing.  It's difficult to remember God when the harvest is abundant.  I struggle every day with becoming humble -- and the prayer for humility is a dangerously effective prayer.

Am I still listening for God's voice -- still looking for the next chapter?  One of the lessons that my students and I have wrestled with in the life of Abraham is the example of Abram when he hears the promise of God.  He doesn't hunker down and start building houses when God promises him the land.  No, he builds an altar and then pitches his tents.  It's almost as if Abram physically says, "God is what's permanent; I am a stranger in God's land."  Wow.  What a stunning example.  Too often in my life, I jump on board the Tower of Babel Project and forget my greater call to be a person of faith and trust God's greater story.

It's my prayer that each and every day I might be thankful for where God has led me and how He blesses me with a little shade and a little water for my journey; that I might be reminded that I was on a journey when I stumbled upon this shade and that I might be ready for God to say, "Arise!  You've been at this mountain long enough..."

Connection to "the Vine"

First of all, we celebrate today our second baptism last night of a college student this year.  It is exciting to see two college students begin their journey with their Rabbi Jesus so soon in the school year.  Both Terrance and Christina were influenced by the students and "family" that surrounded them.  Eric and I actually didn't know them all that well before their baptisms.  How incredibly exciting it is to see our student leaders and friends engaging their fellow college students in the Way that leads to life!

Two weekends ago, our Impact team hosted a retreat for the students at University of Idaho and Washington State.  We traveled up to Silver Lake Camp just west of Spokane and enjoyed some great time away.  It was an opportunity for us to build intentional relationships with students in a great setting away from the worries of the classroom and roommates.

God really seemed to strengthen the relationships between students as well.  One WSU student remarked at what a great time she had and how easy it was to connect to other gals, even from another university. There was a lot of time spent playing and resting, whether that took the form of paddling the kayaks in the lake or playing games late into the evening.

But the time that we were really excited about was the opportunity to specifically target the spiritual formation of these students.  We created five sessions where, after some great worship sessions, we dove in and attempted to create spaces to encounter the living God. Our theme passage for the weekend was John 15 ("I am the vine, you are the branches...") and we took the opportunity to share with students the "bread n' butter" of Impact Campus Ministries.

We showed them our passion to help train them in creating daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms that help them stay connected to the True Vine.  We can't control how much fruit God bears in our life and we can't control the circumstances that we find ourselves in, but we CAN control how much intention we have in pursuing our relationship with God.  If we create these spaces in our lives, God promises us fruit that will last.

To find, as a college student, a meaningful and fulfilling walk where God is real and alive and bearing fruit in your life -- this would be an inspiring experience that would last through a lifetime.  It may even help us make effective disciples.  We look forward to being able to share with you stories as God bears fruit in the lives of these students as they follow through on their commitment to create sacred space for God.

SHEPHELAH - University Style

The first month here has been an awesome start to the ministry on campus at University of Idaho and Washington State.  We've made some awesome connections, both on a personal and vocational level.  My number one job has been to "show up and keep my eyes open"; in addition to "seeing" new people, I've also been learning a lot about life on campus.  Who are the students today at the university and what kind of world do they live in?

The things I've seen have been very surprising and encouraging as I've encountered and listened to the students.  I want to share an example of what I mean.

This week, I was spending my third week at my first CARE Group (CARE = Creating a Relational Environment; next week, I will be headed to a new CARE Group for 2-3 weeks, until I meet them all).  Each night, we read the Text and share stories from our lives.  We talk about what we hear God saying to each of us and what we'll need to do about it.  I have been amazed that week after week, the students will turn the conversation, on their own, to the topic of how they can make an impact in their world.   

To be honest, I didn't expect that.  I had an image of apathetic, misguided ("like sheep without a shepherd"), and somewhat lazy college students who really needed to be fired up about life.  What I am consistently seeing week in and week out is a group of students who want to make a difference.  I had heard that the rising culture was certainly "cause-driven" and inspired, but I just wasn't buying it -- until I got here.  I've been impressed by the maturity of faith I see in some of these young men and women.

This last Wednesday, one of the girls was asking for prayer.  She said she wanted an infusion of wisdom, strength, and discernment as she dealt with her friend, whose father had slipped into a coma and wasn't likely to survive; she began to tear up as she said that she also was torn as she interacted with her roommate who was a self-described atheist and had a lot of hurt.  I was moved by her emotion and depth of concern. 

I wasn't the only one.

Another student, Adam, began to say that he had needed to hear her prayer that night.  He said that each and every year he struggles to make any kind of an impact in his world.  He expressed that he either seems to get sucked into a destructive way of living or he retreats and becomes a "Holy Hermit" (I absolutely love that term).  He wanted the group to help encourage him to live out a more potent faith.

As I listened to Adam, I was instantly taken back to the desert in Israel where we had learned all about the "shephelah", the land between the Judah Mountains (where God's people lived) and the region of the coastal plain (where the Philistines lived).  There was this constant tension in the shephelah to try to impact the world and put God on display for others and retreat to much safer ground.  The former would challenge your fortitude and commitment to God's way and the latter would fail to accomplish the mission of God.

Here is the link to a great article on the "shephelah" by historian/scholar Ray VanderLaan:

http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2779

Adam's plight was not new.  It's been our struggle for millennia and continues to be the dominant cultural conversation for the church today.  I was just encouraged to see the intensity and authenticity these students carried with them to engage that tension in their lives.  It's that kind of intensity that we can do something with and just one more glimpse into "Impact the U.  Impact the World."

via "Aquachurch" by Leonard Sweet

Be not afraid to trust God completely.  As you go down the long corridor, you may find that He has preceded you and locked many doors that you would have entered in vain.  But be sure that beyond these there is one that He has left unlocked.  Open it and enter, and you will find yourself face to face with a bend in the river of opportunity, broader and deeper than anything you had dared to imagine in your sunniest dreams.  Launch forth on it, for it leads to the open sea.

F.B. Meyer

 


The Scripture is a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring forth fruits every month, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for medicine.  It is not a pot of manna or a cruse of oil, which were for memory only, or for a meal's meat or two, but as it were a shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so great, and as it were a whole cellarfull of oil vessels; whereby all our necessities may be provided for, and our debts discharged.  In a word it is a pantry of wholesome food against mouldy traditions; a pharmicist's shop (Saint Basil calleth it) of preservatives against poisoned heresies; a code of profitable laws against rebellious spirits; a treasury of most costly jewels against beggarly rudiments.  Finally, a fountain of most pure water springing up into everlasting life.

Prefix, "Address to the Reader", King James/Authorized Version (1611).

Students move in with lots of energy in their step

I have now seen what it looks like for over 35,000 college students to come storming back to class.  With a record-breaking enrollment at Washington State University and a whole lot of students at University of Idaho, there is a lot of action here on the Palouse!

We haven't had to try very hard to keep ourselves busy helping students make the transition.  We spent a day on each campus helping students move into their dorm rooms.  I definitely burned some calories as I carried tubs, carts, boxes and "what-in-the-world-is-this" up to the fourth and fifth floors.  I seriously began to wonder if they actually house anybody below the third floor or if I was just incredibly unlucky in which cars I was selecting to assist.

Me and Eric (team leader)

The move-in days were a lot of fun and a good chance to meet a few faces, introduce yourself, and most importantly make five trips to the cars become one trip.  Those old dormitories that lack air-conditioning are sure going to be fun for a few weeks.  Especially if the third floor in the Ballard wing doesn't stop backing up the toilet...

After the students moved in, it was only a day or two before the universities invite them to orientations and "get to know what's available to you on campus" events.  We attended the WSU Welcome Picnic at Mooberry Track where all the different student organizations set up booths to promote themselves and what they do.  We handed out 600 packages of free Top Ramen noodles with our information on them, telling them that "Dinner's on us, tonight."  It was well received and we made a lot of good connections and sign-ups.

The next day was PalousaFest at the University of Idaho and we all got to set up our booths again and talk to the UofI students.  This time we handed out free bottles of water with our info and had another great night of talking to students and inviting them to get involved in CARE groups.  Tomorrow, we have another event, the Student Involvement Fair at WSU where we will rinse and repeat the PalousaFest process.  

Continue to pray for our events as we get to meet students and hopefully enter into some new relationships.  Pray for Marty as he tries to connect with many of the Magic Valley students that are at UofI and WSU.  We are looking forward to Sunday night, when we will have two BBQ's (one in Pullman and one in Moscow) with tons of fun and exciting chances to build relationships with students.

Palousafest

Maggie (one of our CARE group leaders)

 

A thoughtful rebuke to my own blog post...

So, yesterday was a tough day for me.

I didn't get much sleep last night, either.

It was one of those days where God slowly and gently rakes you over the coals of humility -- and you  don't really notice until your hind end is on fire. 

My day ended with a very thoughtful and convicting read from a friend and mentor that I respect more than most anybody else in my life.  He had reiterated something that I was already sensing to be true in myself.  The way that I conduct my presence within the larger body of Christ at times is not...  well, it's not like Jesus.

But it had already been a long day at that point.  I had a good friend, that I hadn't talked to in a few years, take the last decade of my life and sum it up in a couple statements.  I normally would have been offended at such a trite, oversimplified reduction of a third of my life -- but the Spirit was preparing me to hear a little truth through somebody who was willing to unknowingly speak it.  My friend told me that to him it seemed like the last decade, "You've had something to prove."

And while it's undeniable how God has taught me and grown me over the last few years especially, I think there are moments when I still have something to prove.

And as long as I have something to prove, it's going to be a lot less about Jesus and His kingdom and a lot more about me.

So, this morning I offer a thoughtful rebuke of my own blog post.  Not for the content itself, you see.  I deeply believe there are a lot of things wrong about our worldview.  I still am bothered by the nuances I chatted about earlier.  I still think that we need a few brave souls to lead us in some good dialogue.  It's been affirmed in my life that what I bring to the table is a giftedness to challenge and make people think -- and I do believe that is how God has asked me to serve His community, wherever I am.

But I want it to be drained of all my ego -- and for that, I am deeply sorry and repentant.  I want it to smell like Jesus.  Jesus had this incredible way of undeniably confronting the systemic wrongs in His world and saying very little.  He was able to show it for what it was and still set people free.  The truth of the matter, is while I'm more convicted of my final two points than ever.  I ended up being guilty of the first two, just as much as anybody else.

To quote my friend from last night, I want to learn how to see if there is something in the bigger picture that I need to shoulder.  What parts of the problem do I need to carry?  And how can I live in such a way that can redeem the chaos and shine light in dark places?  I hope that I will hit the pause button on my future rants and -- hopefully -- the next time you see me rant, it will be about what God's doing in me and not what He should do in everybody else.  Pray for me in that, would you please?

I am still being refined by a Consuming Fire.  I'm sure glad He's in the redemption business; there's a lot more I still need to die to.

And by the looks of my inbox this morning... I'm in for another long day.

My thoughts on the latest craze...

I'm back to blogging and while it might make sense for you to hear some of the latest news on our arrival in Moscow, I'm going to save those thoughts for a later date when things are settled and I feel like I have a better pulse on our situation.  Things are a whirlwind of trying to settle down and get the family used to our new home (as one might imagine); we did get here and get unpacked and we are ready to go.  So, more on that later...

But for now, I thought I would get myself ready for the upcoming school year with a minor theological rant that I need to work through -- get my theological juices flowing, if you will.

I have finally read the book.  No, not the controversial one (I read that the night it was released); I'm talking about the new book that is all the rave right now in Christian circles.  The book will remain nameless for the purposes of this blog; it is not my intent to attack the author or the book itself, so it doesn't need to be named.  My observations (and opinions) are really bigger than this particular read itself.  This book has been recommended to me over the last couple months by at least 25 different people.  I have not heard a single negative thing about it from anybody.

It's not the first book of its kind.  Over the last year, I can think of four of these particular books published and they seem to have a few things in common.  1) They are all written by a mega-church pastor.  2) The main point of all four books is that American evangelicals need to learn how to buck up and live out the radical faith that Jesus calls us to.  3) They all instantly skyrocket to the top of the best-sellers list and are all the rave in the Evangelical community for a few months, just in time for the next one to come out and essentially say the same thing in the same way, with a slightly different cover and a new catchy title.

So, I wanted to work through a few observations I've been making about these books:

Hypocrisy is such an overused and abused word, but it's the only one that seems to fit here to describe the claims of these books.  The word also seems to be slightly harsh and overboard here, the observation is simply one of irritation and annoyance really and in light of some of the other things taking place, this offense is rather minor.  Maybe that makes it a good place to start.

These books all seem to rant about how misguided the mega-church is, yet the ONLY reason these trite books get published is because the author is some well-known pastor from a church of 15,000 people.  The content is nothing new or profound, just neatly marketed around the personality and face of "pastor so-and-so".  More than one of these books goes to great length to point out how Jesus, when being followed by great multitudes of people, would offer a teaching that would drive the multitudes away, leaving Jesus standing there with his disciples (a good point, by the way).  Yet, last time I checked, their church was still cranking out services for the same 15,000 people they were before.  So, if they aren't interested in imitating Jesus, what was their point?

The book I just got done reading opens with the author's disdain for books that promote themselves by having "Christian celebrity endorsements" on the cover leaf.  I could not resist in that very moment flipping to this book's inner leaf to find SIX "celebrity endorsements".  Shocked?  Not really.  Just an annoyed roll of my eyes.

This book also goes to great length to tell you that the author is going to spare no expense letting you have the rough, raw, and radical message of Jesus.  He is about to tell you the REAL gospel.  The unadulterated one without all the fluff.  He isn't going to try to "sell" or market Jesus to you.  The message is tough, so buckle up (again, this is very true and a good point).  But the author offers nothing shockingly scandalous or new.  It's really not all that radical.  And it still seems like a pretty appealing message to me.  This particular author actually caps each chapter off with a "testimonial" from a real-life example of what this gospel looks like.  Every story is essentially the same and has a great happy ending.

I'm not even that bothered by the "appealing" nature of the message.  The gospel is, at times, very appealing.  Lives do get transformed by the power of the Spirit and have amazing "only-God-could-do-that" endings.  That's the beauty of salvation.  But please don't go on and on and on about how the message of Jesus is so radical and different and how many people would turn their back on the REAL gospel, if you aren't going to deliver on what you promise.  And to be clear, I DO think that the message of Jesus is radical, confrontational and difficult.  I believe that Jesus said that the message of the gospel was like a treasure buried in a field, a seed slow to grow, a little bit of yeast in a lump of dough.  Eternal life isn't easy to master, it requires intentionality and the desire to forsake everything else.  The message of Jesus confronts our idolatry head-on and calls us to leave our idols behind; our plans, our hobbies, our patriotism, our consumerism is all called out for what it is -- a sham -- as we are called to pursue real and true life.  Write a chapter on how Jesus would call into question our pledging allegiance to a flag -- that would be radical.  But don't sit in your office in your $28 million building, sacrificing and changing nothing of consequence and berate the rest of us for not following Jesus.

Which leads me to my next point:

These books all carry a very accusatory and pharisaic tone that I don't find helpful.  Just take the points themselves and I think you have a book full of some amazing insights.  But the packaging is all wrong for the message.  All of these books just seem to say, "COME ON!  YOU AREN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH!  YOU DON'T LOVE GOD ENOUGH!  LET'S GO!"  Like an eighth-grade basketball coach who screams and builds a team on fear, these authors beat up their readers and load on the guilt ("Woe to you Pharisees...for you tie up heavy loads on people's shoulders but don't lift a finger to help them..."  Matt. 23).

And what bugs me the most about all of this is that we eat it up!   I can't understand why we read this and love it and recommend it and act like it changes our hearts -- when obviously, four months from now, we need another pep-talk and good butt-whooping and we line up to buy the next book to make us feel like a miserable piece of garbage.

I've seen this in the ministry before.  It's the story of the abused wife who continues to go back to the abusive husband for the beating that she knows she has coming.  And why in the world does she do this?  Because she believes she deserves it.  She believes she is worthless and her fear and her self-loathing and her guilt-ridden self-hatred drives her into the same abuse over and over again.  And I'm believing more and more that this is a metaphor for how many of us feel as believers.

Which leads me to my next point:

We obviously see the problem, but we continue to treat the symptoms and not the disease.  Let us be crystal clear.  Jesus came to offer people life.  Real life.  Abundant life.  He did not come to load us down with guilt or give us a pep-talk.  His message was not one of condemnation, but of hope and relief.  He confronted the destructive systems and powers of the world and showed them for what they were.  He allowed us to see how we continue to buy into the wrong story -- and it's killing us.  He then invites us to come back and experience eternal life (now!) as God intended.  The gospel (according to Jesus) was this: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."  If we remove centuries of bad theology, this would say to us, "Everything God intended for you is accessible to you, return to the way God intended you to be."

His affirmation was that God really was for us -- in our worst moments.  We could live in that love and value and acceptance, but we would have to let go of our idols of impressing others and measuring up and accept this radical message of grace. 

We know that stuff is off, so these authors just wind up and let us have it.  They try desperately to treat the symptoms.  But what if the symptoms are really indicative of a much larger problem?  What if we have our story -- our narrative -- all wrong?  What if we really haven't believed God's radical message of love and actually -- just like that abused wife -- believe we aren't good enough and just keep going back for more Pharisaic abuse? 

Wouldn't that be incredibly counter productive?  Wouldn't we continue to wallow in our guilt and miss the eternal life that God has made available to us?  Our typical evangelical dogma has become a disease that threatens our real life in Christ.  We have a basic understanding of God that says, 1) God is great.  2) You are garbage; this is a problem.  3) Luckily God sent Jesus, so that God can give you a pass and ignore your garbage (but you are still garbage at heart).  4) Don't you want in on this compelling story?

Which leads me to what I believe is my final point for the day:

The hermeneutics that are used in these books are incredibly destructive.  There is something very, very wrong with our accepted set of evangelical lenses.  They lack historical integrity in their interpretation of the Scriptures and therefore yank the Text out of context.  This is very dangerous, but none of us seem to notice, because it passes our "Evangelical theology check".  It is high time that a few brave souls lead us in asking some tough questions about what our lenses truly are.  If we have already decided what the Bible says, then we are in a very dangerous place, because whoever "figured it out" is now our authority and not the Text.  It doesn't matter whether it's Luther or Calvin or Campbell or Wesley or some synod or group or creed... if the Text stops being our constant guiding source for life and truth, we are in trouble.

If the Text is our true authority, then we need to be open to realizing that there are many things that are yet to be learned.  There are many things that we will discover as we all continue to study the Text.  But the Text must remain that source -- that which "doesn't return void".  This will call for continual study and interaction and dialogue.  But history continues to show us that whenever we "figure it out", it is only a matter of time before we learn that so-and-so was wrong about *this* or *that*.

This, I believe, is the great disease of our time.  Evangelical Christianity has a horribly outdated and inadequate set of lenses on -- and it's killing us.  We're not finding life and transformation and very, very few of us are being set free.  I find it harder and harder to find the kind of life that will ring throughout all of eternity.  I pray that more brave souls lead us in these fundamental and essential theological conversations.  Of course, the guy who writes the book about love and grace -- will probably continue to be called a heretic.  We will probably continue to buy millions of copies of the latest pep-talk piece and be "moved" by it.  But until we start to address the greater disease that lies behind the symptoms -- until we are willing to go in and question the validity of our lenses, we may not realize that "we are blind because we claim to see" (John 9:35-41). 

You are loved.
Completely.
As you are, God is for you.

You have value.
God crafted you in His own image and desires to dwell with you.
The Kingdom of God, life as God intended, is within grasp -- it's yours for the taking.

But you are going to have to leave your old gods behind.
The ones that kept asking more from you.
The ones that were constantly disappointed.
The ones that were always angry.
Maybe even the one you thought was the god of the Bible.

That is the message.  No addendum's.  No asterisks.  No fine print.
It's actually GOOD news.
God is not pleased when people get in the way of this good message.
This is a scandalous message.  It's counter-intuitive.
You will have to let yourself and all your inner voices die and follow Jesus.
It will be hard to trust this message. 
It's crazy love.  It's radical.  It erases hell.  And it will require you to be more than just a fan.
For the way that leads to life is narrow, but it's yours for the taking.

It is my prayer that the Spirit may continue to guide us into all truth.  That we might truly come to a place where we believe in the love of God, the power of the resurrected Christ to give us a new tomorrow, and the guidance of the Spirit to do "even greater things than these".

One Last Road Trip in the Books for 2011

We've made it back home with one mission: say some final goodbyes and get moved.

Our time to complete said mission: one week.

The last road trip was full of excitement, travel, and activity and
while every moment we had on that trip was a productive one, we are so
glad to be done.  I couldn't be more ready to get to work on campus!

Hitting the road -- this is my company ;)

We started our trip by spending one week in Libby, MT.  Back in November of 2010, we were able to start our fundraising by talking to my closest family and friends in the Magic Valley -- people who had helped me grow into the person I am today.  It was a neat experience to be able to end our fundraising adventures for the summer by going to Becky's home base and talking to those who had helped her grow.  We had a very positive response to our meetings there, everyone said that they wanted to support us and would just have to pray about a set number.

We then left for Iowa, where all of Becky's extended family lives.
Again, we had a great time with family and a warm reception to our
presentation for fundraising.  We took two days to make a quick trip
up to Minneapolis and see some former TFRC friends and then we began
the long road trip back home.   While the trip on a GPS will take
about 22 hours in all, the GPS certainly doesn't calculate for
screaming and upset children.  We'll just say it was a long two days.

"The Farm"

We came back to Libby for two more quick meetings and then spent a
couple days in Moscow, ID tying up some loose ends and getting some things in line (i.e. storage units, etc.) before we move.  Being on
the ground in Moscow and Pullman started to get the good 'ol ministry juices flowing and I am ready to go!

All in all, we sit at about 86% of our total funding, but we do
have the numbers in the bank to consider our first year fully-funded
and ready to get on campus.  Our personal goals still remain unmet
(having 100% of our budget in annual income), but with so much
positive response and people who have agreed to come on our financial
team, we are excited to see if God helps us reach our goal in His own
timing.

We have one week until we pull out of Twin Falls with all of our stuff
in tow.  Please continue to bathe our house situation in prayer as we
would really like God to provide a buyer by November.  Also, continue
to pray about all of those potential supporters who are praying about
dollar amounts.  Pray that their support would be a blessing to not
only us, but to them and the Kingdom as well.

Still getting used to this...