This weekend marked the end of the epic Esmeralda story...we used up the last of it when 7 people in 2 days finished it off. Ethan Gipp (Toby) had his 3rd and final cup, Matt Kayser, Ben Claudin, Derek Ryan, Ryan Donnely, Kurt Carlson, and a guy named A.J. whose last name I don't know all took part in finishing it off.
A total of 36 cups of this delectable bean were sold most of which were sold at $12 a cup. The last 10 or so we're sold at $10 a cup. The grand total that we came away with was $280. If you include the fact that 2 extra bottles were purchased at $80 each in order to expand the money a bit more than Jeff and I's original investment of $80 turned into $420. Not bad for just selling some delicious coffee and making a fun story of it.
Iuventis is gathering Nov. 7th to see how much total money was raised between everyone's respective creative money making ventures. We will decide at this meeting what we end up doing with the money.
This has been a lot of fun and thank you so much for anyone who participated. There is still a lot of good coffee to try and you can come visit me whenever you like at Copper River. There is still a good story happening the coffee industry and I'd love to tell anyone about it and get as many coffee nerds trained up that I can so we can make this world a better place by paying farmers across the world what they're worth while also enjoying a delicious caffeinated beverage.
Keep working to be a part of the redemption of all things. We are all living a story. Keep working to make that the best one possible! Stay tuned to hear more about mine...
...The Redemption of ALL Things...
10.24.2010
10.18.2010
The last week of Esmeralda...
This past week I sold 5 more cups...A couple regulars at Copper River, Eric Craft and Phil Martin both tried their respective cups and we're glad they did. Toby (Ethan Gipp) had his second cup, Eric Potter had a cup and gave an extra $5 to the cause, and lastly Amber Kingery had one.
You can view all of these on my facebook page under the Panama Esmeralda photo album.
Sunday November 7th is our next Iuventis gathering for Imago Dei and we will decide then what we're going to do with all of the money we raised. Continue to be thinking about what we should do with it if you know a good place for it. We're open to everyone's ideas!
We need to sell the rest of the Esmeralda this week! I have about 8 cups left! By Saturday it will be too old to really be able to fully enjoy so please come in and try it out! You may not ever have a chance to try it this cheap...seriously...some places will charge upwards of $25 for a cup of this and it's just going in their pockets and not necessarily to a good story.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the story finishes with this epic tale...stay tuned!
....The Redemption of ALL Things....
You can view all of these on my facebook page under the Panama Esmeralda photo album.
Sunday November 7th is our next Iuventis gathering for Imago Dei and we will decide then what we're going to do with all of the money we raised. Continue to be thinking about what we should do with it if you know a good place for it. We're open to everyone's ideas!
We need to sell the rest of the Esmeralda this week! I have about 8 cups left! By Saturday it will be too old to really be able to fully enjoy so please come in and try it out! You may not ever have a chance to try it this cheap...seriously...some places will charge upwards of $25 for a cup of this and it's just going in their pockets and not necessarily to a good story.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the story finishes with this epic tale...stay tuned!
....The Redemption of ALL Things....
10.11.2010
A few more cups...
Apparently I had a mystery buyer of a cup of Esmeralda on Saturday night. His name is Jim and he drives a convertible...so if you see him please take a picture for me and post it on here so we know who he is!
Co-contributor to the Esmeralda Project, Mr. Jeff Eagan, had a pour-over of it today. We we're talking about how the parable of the talents has come to a whole new light. We are actually seeing an investment come to fruition that we can turn around and give back to the Kingdom of God in a way that's creative and fun. I hope I can continue to find more ways to do this even after this...if not me at least as a church or between some friends we can get more creative and find better ways to be generous and giving.
Still plenty Esmeralda left, PLEASE come try a cup and be a part of this great story that's unfolding...
...the REDEMPTION of ALL things....
Co-contributor to the Esmeralda Project, Mr. Jeff Eagan, had a pour-over of it today. We we're talking about how the parable of the talents has come to a whole new light. We are actually seeing an investment come to fruition that we can turn around and give back to the Kingdom of God in a way that's creative and fun. I hope I can continue to find more ways to do this even after this...if not me at least as a church or between some friends we can get more creative and find better ways to be generous and giving.
Still plenty Esmeralda left, PLEASE come try a cup and be a part of this great story that's unfolding...
...the REDEMPTION of ALL things....
10.10.2010
A weekend with Esmeralda...
9 more lovely folks took part in the Esmeralda story this past weekend! Daniel Williamson tried his second cup and loved it (you have to see the pictures of him trying it on facebook, they are priceless). Others to try it this weekend we're Marty Messineo, Jordan Meiss (Zach Pflederer's cousin), Steve Elmore (one of my favorite customers, sorry to be bias), Blair Hill, Amber Austin, Hannah Huebner, John Kargol, and another June Restaurant chef, Tom McGill.
A special thanks to Blair Hill who not only paid $12 for the cup but also donated an extra $25 to the cause. Also thanks to Zuzu Madanat who donated $10 but didn't want to try it because he was honest enough to say he wouldn't be able to appreciate it like someone else because he doesn't like any form of coffee. So thanks Zu for the extra $!
I've told many curious onlookers, as I've snapped photos of everyone trying it, about what I'm doing with this little project and many find it incredibly fascinating and exciting and are planning on coming in this week to try some of this nectar of the gods.
What's shocking to me is that not one person has complained about the $12 price...which is great because it means that people are realizing that a cup of coffee might actually be worth that, which also means more money to farmers for all of their intense labor. This whole project has provided for a multifaceted story in that there are many who are benefiting from this (the customer, us at copper river, and the farmer, and a lot more who are being educated about coffee in general. This little bean is opening the door to a whole new world of coffee connoisseurs and really helping to show people the capabilities of what coffee can taste like.
It's so encouraging to see everyone's face light up as the sip this particular coffee. It really affirms to me that I'm where God wants me to be. This may sound strange to many people but I see this profession as not only a means to interact with customers on a daily basis but also to totally transform the lives of many farmers who have been exploited for centuries. I've found a way to make a direct impact on the third world and be a part of that redemption process that God has for this beautiful creation and be on the side of the oppressed and those taken advantage of rather than on the side of the oppressor and corporate giants who only want to make profit no matter who or what they have to destroy to get it.
..and to think all of this evolves around this little seed from a cherry. Simply amazing!
As I see all of this take place with the Esmeralda story it proves to me that we all love stories. We want to be a part of a story and we love good stories. I believe we feel this way because we we're ALL made to live a good story. We have a plan and a purpose and many things get in the way...there is conflict all along the way just like any other good story and we must overcome to reach our goal.
God wants you to be a part of His story in working toward the redemption of all things. He wants us to partner with him to make this world the way it was meant to be. Are you living a good story? Are you living in away that will aid in this overarching story of redemption? Of love, mercy, grace, justice, and peace?
If not, why not? Join us! Here is a chance to play a part in one of those small chapters! An invitation to see a glimpse of heaven on earth...
Don't miss your chance to come try some of this delicious Panama Esmeralda coffee this week! And be thinking of something awesome for us to do with this money when we're done. I think some of the other students and leaders who are also doing something similar to this have also raised a pretty good chunk of change. So if anyone has any thoughts or ideas or knows anyone with a specific need please let us know!
...The REDEMPTION of ALL Things...
A special thanks to Blair Hill who not only paid $12 for the cup but also donated an extra $25 to the cause. Also thanks to Zuzu Madanat who donated $10 but didn't want to try it because he was honest enough to say he wouldn't be able to appreciate it like someone else because he doesn't like any form of coffee. So thanks Zu for the extra $!
I've told many curious onlookers, as I've snapped photos of everyone trying it, about what I'm doing with this little project and many find it incredibly fascinating and exciting and are planning on coming in this week to try some of this nectar of the gods.
What's shocking to me is that not one person has complained about the $12 price...which is great because it means that people are realizing that a cup of coffee might actually be worth that, which also means more money to farmers for all of their intense labor. This whole project has provided for a multifaceted story in that there are many who are benefiting from this (the customer, us at copper river, and the farmer, and a lot more who are being educated about coffee in general. This little bean is opening the door to a whole new world of coffee connoisseurs and really helping to show people the capabilities of what coffee can taste like.
It's so encouraging to see everyone's face light up as the sip this particular coffee. It really affirms to me that I'm where God wants me to be. This may sound strange to many people but I see this profession as not only a means to interact with customers on a daily basis but also to totally transform the lives of many farmers who have been exploited for centuries. I've found a way to make a direct impact on the third world and be a part of that redemption process that God has for this beautiful creation and be on the side of the oppressed and those taken advantage of rather than on the side of the oppressor and corporate giants who only want to make profit no matter who or what they have to destroy to get it.
..and to think all of this evolves around this little seed from a cherry. Simply amazing!
As I see all of this take place with the Esmeralda story it proves to me that we all love stories. We want to be a part of a story and we love good stories. I believe we feel this way because we we're ALL made to live a good story. We have a plan and a purpose and many things get in the way...there is conflict all along the way just like any other good story and we must overcome to reach our goal.
God wants you to be a part of His story in working toward the redemption of all things. He wants us to partner with him to make this world the way it was meant to be. Are you living a good story? Are you living in away that will aid in this overarching story of redemption? Of love, mercy, grace, justice, and peace?
If not, why not? Join us! Here is a chance to play a part in one of those small chapters! An invitation to see a glimpse of heaven on earth...
Don't miss your chance to come try some of this delicious Panama Esmeralda coffee this week! And be thinking of something awesome for us to do with this money when we're done. I think some of the other students and leaders who are also doing something similar to this have also raised a pretty good chunk of change. So if anyone has any thoughts or ideas or knows anyone with a specific need please let us know!
...The REDEMPTION of ALL Things...
10.07.2010
Panama Esmeralda...End of Bottle #1
Just this past Tuesday we polished the first bottle of the Esmeralda. Copper River had US CELLULAR in the shop and they we're buying everyone's drink as part of their new "Belief Project" they were launching this past weekend. So, since they pretty much gave our company $1,000 I figured I'd by the representatives that we're there a cup of Esmeralda to split between all them. Some we're coffee drinkers, some not at all but every single one of them finished their black cup and thoroughly enjoyed it! Many picked up on some of the same characteristics that the others had, smooth, tea-like, balanced, citrus, bergamot, and a delightful champagne finish. It was fitting that this story be a part of the good one that their company was doing across the nation. (you should definitely google what they did with their belief project, it's pretty sweet, I might be changing cell phone services because of it). Pictures are on my facebook of Deanna making the pour-over for Christine, Michelle, and Randall (the three US CELLULAR reps) I even got to sneak in a small cup while I was in the middle of making a huge line of drinks. I almost forgot how beautiful it was...it gave me that tingly feeling again.
Later Tuesday afternoon Zain Hakeem came in again for round two, dropping a total of $24 on two 12oz. cups of Panama Esmeralda. I love it! It was his birthday and he figured there was no better way to celebrate his last year of being a twenty-something. He can't get over the fact that the Esmeralda reminds him of some of his mom's cooking growing up. The cup took him back to childhood...it's amazing that this little bean has the power to do..a little bean grown on some high slopes in Panama with nothing added to it at all..from the Earth! It's really fascinating!
And what no better man to finish off the last of the bottle than Josh Lanning, chef, friend, and regular pour-over customer of ours at Copper River. We we're excited for him to try it, he loves coffee for one and second he's an incredible chef and has quite a more elaborate palate than ourselves. He was blown away by the intense floral aroma that it gave off while it was brewing....I'm pretty sure I saw him salivating but I can't be sure. As he drink this heavenly brew his face lit up and immediately said that it was literally perfect. He picked up on the bergomot and said he got a lot of cardamom flavor...which Zain immediately agreed with as what he was thinking about his mother's cooking. Josh just kept saying how perfect it was...and I can't argue with him.
You can view these pictures and more on my facebook.
Come get your cup! I have two more bottles coming in and that will probably be it (unless anyone can convince me otherwise). I should have it while at work Friday morning and Saturday morning. Of course you can come in next week as well. So far I've raised $156 from my initial $80 investment. I'm excited to see if we can sell the entirety of the other two bottles!
If anyone knows where a good place to put this money to please let me know. We're keeping our ears open and would love to give to a good cause or to someone who might really need it for something.
...The Redemption of ALL Things...
Later Tuesday afternoon Zain Hakeem came in again for round two, dropping a total of $24 on two 12oz. cups of Panama Esmeralda. I love it! It was his birthday and he figured there was no better way to celebrate his last year of being a twenty-something. He can't get over the fact that the Esmeralda reminds him of some of his mom's cooking growing up. The cup took him back to childhood...it's amazing that this little bean has the power to do..a little bean grown on some high slopes in Panama with nothing added to it at all..from the Earth! It's really fascinating!
And what no better man to finish off the last of the bottle than Josh Lanning, chef, friend, and regular pour-over customer of ours at Copper River. We we're excited for him to try it, he loves coffee for one and second he's an incredible chef and has quite a more elaborate palate than ourselves. He was blown away by the intense floral aroma that it gave off while it was brewing....I'm pretty sure I saw him salivating but I can't be sure. As he drink this heavenly brew his face lit up and immediately said that it was literally perfect. He picked up on the bergomot and said he got a lot of cardamom flavor...which Zain immediately agreed with as what he was thinking about his mother's cooking. Josh just kept saying how perfect it was...and I can't argue with him.
You can view these pictures and more on my facebook.
Come get your cup! I have two more bottles coming in and that will probably be it (unless anyone can convince me otherwise). I should have it while at work Friday morning and Saturday morning. Of course you can come in next week as well. So far I've raised $156 from my initial $80 investment. I'm excited to see if we can sell the entirety of the other two bottles!
If anyone knows where a good place to put this money to please let me know. We're keeping our ears open and would love to give to a good cause or to someone who might really need it for something.
...The Redemption of ALL Things...
10.04.2010
The Esmeralda story continues...
After last night and today there is only enough Esmeralda for 2 more people this week. Who will it be? I have ordered a couple more bags for next week. I have been pleasantly surprised by everyone's desire to try it and I don't think anyone so far has been disappointed. In fact, a few of us are actually having dreams about the mysterious Esmeralda.
Dan Williamson had a dream involving Ethan Gipp actually breaking into a seizure because of the aroma of the Esmeralda as he was making a pour over. The owner of Copper River, Scott Elledge, went around the bar to help Ethan while Daniel continued to brew the deliciousness explaining that he couldn't help out until he finished. Apparently his love for Esmeralda is more than his own friends...
Deanna Kennedy and Tracy Brunsman, both employees of Copper River and tenants of CASTLE, got to try their cups last night. Tracy describes her experience as "super tasty" even though it wasn't full-bodied which she normally prefers ( I think there a lot of us who are surprised by the lightness and velvetyness of it). She felt there was definitely an intense bergamot characteristic and found the perfumy aroma to be absolutely amazing.
Deanna says "Esmeralda is such a smooth, satisfying cup of coffee. At first, when still hot, the bergamot and floral notes are most prevalent. As it cooled, she seemed to fill my mouth with smooth, sweet fruitiness and I felt as if I had bitten into a peach or some other sort of juicy fruit and the finish had a mild key lime flavor. Esmeralda- I love you"
This morning Frankie King and Stuart Laughlin tried a cup, both of whom are regulars of our shop at Copper River. Frankie was willing to buy a cup a day saying that this was something he could easily drink without milk and sugar (which is typically how he prefers coffee). He didn't seem to care that it would cost him $4,380 to consume a 12oz. cup each day for a year. Brilliant.
Stuart Laughlin gave her a try today as well after I explained what the money was going towards. He is one of our regular coffee drinkers and was very satisfied with his experience saying that the Esmeralda just kept on giving as he progressed until the end of the cup. He wished he could use Maxwell House's "good to the last drop" phrase and I told him we could easily steal it and market it so it would hold some truth.
Thanks guys for trying it out! Stay tuned for more stories. Check out www.facebook.com/ty.paluska or www.facebook.com/coppercoffee (or follow the links on the right of this blog) to see pictures!
If anyone is interested in trying some please let me know via comment, text, or e-mail and i'll be sure to have enough!
Dan Williamson had a dream involving Ethan Gipp actually breaking into a seizure because of the aroma of the Esmeralda as he was making a pour over. The owner of Copper River, Scott Elledge, went around the bar to help Ethan while Daniel continued to brew the deliciousness explaining that he couldn't help out until he finished. Apparently his love for Esmeralda is more than his own friends...
Deanna Kennedy and Tracy Brunsman, both employees of Copper River and tenants of CASTLE, got to try their cups last night. Tracy describes her experience as "super tasty" even though it wasn't full-bodied which she normally prefers ( I think there a lot of us who are surprised by the lightness and velvetyness of it). She felt there was definitely an intense bergamot characteristic and found the perfumy aroma to be absolutely amazing.
Deanna says "Esmeralda is such a smooth, satisfying cup of coffee. At first, when still hot, the bergamot and floral notes are most prevalent. As it cooled, she seemed to fill my mouth with smooth, sweet fruitiness and I felt as if I had bitten into a peach or some other sort of juicy fruit and the finish had a mild key lime flavor. Esmeralda- I love you"
This morning Frankie King and Stuart Laughlin tried a cup, both of whom are regulars of our shop at Copper River. Frankie was willing to buy a cup a day saying that this was something he could easily drink without milk and sugar (which is typically how he prefers coffee). He didn't seem to care that it would cost him $4,380 to consume a 12oz. cup each day for a year. Brilliant.
Stuart Laughlin gave her a try today as well after I explained what the money was going towards. He is one of our regular coffee drinkers and was very satisfied with his experience saying that the Esmeralda just kept on giving as he progressed until the end of the cup. He wished he could use Maxwell House's "good to the last drop" phrase and I told him we could easily steal it and market it so it would hold some truth.
Thanks guys for trying it out! Stay tuned for more stories. Check out www.facebook.com/ty.paluska or www.facebook.com/coppercoffee (or follow the links on the right of this blog) to see pictures!
If anyone is interested in trying some please let me know via comment, text, or e-mail and i'll be sure to have enough!
10.02.2010
Panama Esmeralda...Opening Day
So it begins...
The Esmeralda arrived today and to put it simply it did not disappoint.
I had the honors of making the first cup. I've been working on perfecting (if you can even call it that) the pour-over method which is a brew-by-the-cup method used in the coffee industry that is one of the best ways to brew coffee. The last couple of weeks I've been doing extensive research (talking to professionals, reading, and watching a lot of youtube videos) on the best way to make the pour-over. A few days ago I finally felt like I got it down good enough to feel like I wouldn't screw up the Esmeralda once I got it.
Upon busting open the bag and inserting the coffee into the special addition jar I was literally shaking out of nervousness and excitement hoping that I didn't mess anything up. I figured I'd make the first one, mainly because I wanted it first but also to see if I would need to make any adjustments for when all you fine folks purchased a cup.
The aroma was unbelievable...very complex, extremely floral, wildly exotic, intoxicating, bergamot and citrus...I was ready. After approx. 3 min when it finished dripping into the carafe I inhaled the finished product and took my first sip...
...as it gently hit the tip of my tongue I thought to myself that it wasn't unlike other floral coffees I've had...and then it brushed over the rest of my tongue and I literally got all tingly and had a moment of utopia (I'm not kidding) and as it went down my throat it gave me such a delightful feeling that I felt immediately relaxed. The whole slurp itself was extremely balanced, smooth, and full of complex flavor.
I have always been a fan of coffees with a very heavy, syrupy, viscous, body and this Esmeralda was very different in that was almost tea-like and velvety thin. It was so interesting and wonderful at the same time.
I didn't get a chance to truly enjoy the entirety of my cup because 4 people that I was with immediately wanted me to make them some, all of whom I've snapped pictures of and will make into a photo album on my facebook page so check it out. I'll eventually include their remarks as they drank their cup.
Even if the $12 wasn't going towards a good story I still think this coffee would be well worth the price and I don't think anyone so far would disagree.
The first person after myself to try it was Ethan Gipp, a friend and regular of ours at Copper River Coffee & Tea and one thing he said definitely stood out more than anything else that really defines the feeling from drinking this amazing cup. He said that his tongue felt like it wanted to fall asleep! Ha! It gives your mouth such a delightful, relaxing feeling that this totally made sense and I knew and experienced exactly what he was talking about.
The second and third folks to try the cup were friend and coworkers Daniel Williamson and owner of Copper River, Scott Elledge. Dan sat in the back of the cafe and drank his coffee in solitude and didn't really have words to describe his experience. I think the picture I will post in facebook really says it all. Scott screeched with joy and will probably soon write a poem about his Esmeralda experience.
The last person of the day to try it was friend and Copper River regular Zain Hakeem. His words will come shortly with his picture on facebook ( I had to leave while he was still finishing his cup). However I do remember that as I left he was sitting in the cafe at a table with just his cup of Esmeralda staring straight and smiling, in world somewhere not in his present reality. It was a wonderful site.
Stay tuned for more stories and more pictures. I ordered another bag today because there are more people than I thought that would like to try it out. So don't miss your chance. It might be gone by Monday or Tuesday until I get another bag in next week.
Just FYI there was a book (at least 1 that I know of) that is dedicated to telling the story of this particular cup of coffee which is literally known presently as the best coffee in the world) Check it out at http://www.amazon.com/God-Cup-Obsessive-Perfect-Coffee/dp/0470173580
....The story continues....
The Redemption of ALL Things
The Esmeralda arrived today and to put it simply it did not disappoint.
I had the honors of making the first cup. I've been working on perfecting (if you can even call it that) the pour-over method which is a brew-by-the-cup method used in the coffee industry that is one of the best ways to brew coffee. The last couple of weeks I've been doing extensive research (talking to professionals, reading, and watching a lot of youtube videos) on the best way to make the pour-over. A few days ago I finally felt like I got it down good enough to feel like I wouldn't screw up the Esmeralda once I got it.
Upon busting open the bag and inserting the coffee into the special addition jar I was literally shaking out of nervousness and excitement hoping that I didn't mess anything up. I figured I'd make the first one, mainly because I wanted it first but also to see if I would need to make any adjustments for when all you fine folks purchased a cup.
The aroma was unbelievable...very complex, extremely floral, wildly exotic, intoxicating, bergamot and citrus...I was ready. After approx. 3 min when it finished dripping into the carafe I inhaled the finished product and took my first sip...
...as it gently hit the tip of my tongue I thought to myself that it wasn't unlike other floral coffees I've had...and then it brushed over the rest of my tongue and I literally got all tingly and had a moment of utopia (I'm not kidding) and as it went down my throat it gave me such a delightful feeling that I felt immediately relaxed. The whole slurp itself was extremely balanced, smooth, and full of complex flavor.
I have always been a fan of coffees with a very heavy, syrupy, viscous, body and this Esmeralda was very different in that was almost tea-like and velvety thin. It was so interesting and wonderful at the same time.
I didn't get a chance to truly enjoy the entirety of my cup because 4 people that I was with immediately wanted me to make them some, all of whom I've snapped pictures of and will make into a photo album on my facebook page so check it out. I'll eventually include their remarks as they drank their cup.
Even if the $12 wasn't going towards a good story I still think this coffee would be well worth the price and I don't think anyone so far would disagree.
The first person after myself to try it was Ethan Gipp, a friend and regular of ours at Copper River Coffee & Tea and one thing he said definitely stood out more than anything else that really defines the feeling from drinking this amazing cup. He said that his tongue felt like it wanted to fall asleep! Ha! It gives your mouth such a delightful, relaxing feeling that this totally made sense and I knew and experienced exactly what he was talking about.
The second and third folks to try the cup were friend and coworkers Daniel Williamson and owner of Copper River, Scott Elledge. Dan sat in the back of the cafe and drank his coffee in solitude and didn't really have words to describe his experience. I think the picture I will post in facebook really says it all. Scott screeched with joy and will probably soon write a poem about his Esmeralda experience.
The last person of the day to try it was friend and Copper River regular Zain Hakeem. His words will come shortly with his picture on facebook ( I had to leave while he was still finishing his cup). However I do remember that as I left he was sitting in the cafe at a table with just his cup of Esmeralda staring straight and smiling, in world somewhere not in his present reality. It was a wonderful site.
Stay tuned for more stories and more pictures. I ordered another bag today because there are more people than I thought that would like to try it out. So don't miss your chance. It might be gone by Monday or Tuesday until I get another bag in next week.
Just FYI there was a book (at least 1 that I know of) that is dedicated to telling the story of this particular cup of coffee which is literally known presently as the best coffee in the world) Check it out at http://www.amazon.com/God-Cup-Obsessive-Perfect-Coffee/dp/0470173580
....The story continues....
The Redemption of ALL Things
9.27.2010
Creating A Good Story
It's about time I start writing again...it's only been, what, a year? Yikes! I finally have a reason to write and keep updated after Zach Pflederer sparked a great idea last night at Imago Dei Church's youth gathering, Iuventis. (His blog can be found by visiting http://zachpflederer.wordpress.com/)
We began the evening talking about STORY. We all want to live a good story...one people remember or want to be a part of. All of our stories fit into the one BIG story of God's story. This story is told through Scripture and lives on through us as we partner with Him to work towards the redemption of all things. Inside our own stories are little stories that happen, some big, some small.
Last night we wanted to provide the students with a good story to tell so we did a scavenger hunt around Morton. 3 teams competing for an unknown prize. After 45 minutes of speeding around Morton, getting chopsticks from a Chinese restaurant, a picture in front of the Libby's sign, buying an ugly tie at Wal-mart(Father, forgive us) and 15 other things my team came away the champions...finding 18 of the 30 items in the allotted 45 minute time frame.
Upon our glorious victory each team member received $40 cash, second place team members received $20 cash , and last place team members received $10 cash. Quite a shock to the students as well as myself.
We were told that we could spend the money on ourselves or use the money to find ways to multiply it and create a good story...
...so thus begins that story...
Last night I purchased a 12oz. bag of Panama Esmeralda Especial Coffee from Stumptown Coffee in Portland. (check it out at http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/coffees/direct-trade/panama-esmeralda-especial-mario-carnaval-)
This coffee costs a whopping $75 for 12oz. worth of coffee. It is held as the best coffee in the world, winning the Cup of Excellence the last 4 years. There are many in my profession who would give anything to try a cup of this mouthwatering brew as well as a handful of committed Copper River customers and friends whom I've proudly converted to coffee geekery.
So, starting next week I will be selling this coffee for $12 a cup while I'm at work (Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat from 7am-2pm). I will make it with the pour-over method, perhaps the best way of brewing by the cup that can be done without a $12,000 clover press.
This coffee is also what's known as DIRECT TRADE meaning that Stumptown directly deals with the farmer who grew this coffee and can pay him top dollar without any middlemen, meaning that the farmer is paid considerably higher than what most are in the industry. (Feel free to talk to me more about this subject or read about it yourself).
Any money made from the sale of each cup will go towards meeting a need that arises over the next month or to some sort of charitable organization.
I plan on keeping you all updated on how much I've made, what folks are saying about the coffee, as well as what we end up doing with the money. Hopefully pictures will accompany anyone who decided to buy a cup of this incredible coffee as well as what they thought of it.
For those who think $12 for a cup of coffee is ludicrous perhaps you have never had great coffee...this is your chance to be enlightened while at the same time giving to two great causes at once...enriching a farmers life who have historically been oppressed and also towards the final lump sum that will be given to a charity or other cause.
Join me in this story!
...The Redemption of ALL Things
We began the evening talking about STORY. We all want to live a good story...one people remember or want to be a part of. All of our stories fit into the one BIG story of God's story. This story is told through Scripture and lives on through us as we partner with Him to work towards the redemption of all things. Inside our own stories are little stories that happen, some big, some small.
Last night we wanted to provide the students with a good story to tell so we did a scavenger hunt around Morton. 3 teams competing for an unknown prize. After 45 minutes of speeding around Morton, getting chopsticks from a Chinese restaurant, a picture in front of the Libby's sign, buying an ugly tie at Wal-mart(Father, forgive us) and 15 other things my team came away the champions...finding 18 of the 30 items in the allotted 45 minute time frame.
Upon our glorious victory each team member received $40 cash, second place team members received $20 cash , and last place team members received $10 cash. Quite a shock to the students as well as myself.
We were told that we could spend the money on ourselves or use the money to find ways to multiply it and create a good story...
...so thus begins that story...
Last night I purchased a 12oz. bag of Panama Esmeralda Especial Coffee from Stumptown Coffee in Portland. (check it out at http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/coffees/direct-trade/panama-esmeralda-especial-mario-carnaval-)
This coffee costs a whopping $75 for 12oz. worth of coffee. It is held as the best coffee in the world, winning the Cup of Excellence the last 4 years. There are many in my profession who would give anything to try a cup of this mouthwatering brew as well as a handful of committed Copper River customers and friends whom I've proudly converted to coffee geekery.
So, starting next week I will be selling this coffee for $12 a cup while I'm at work (Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat from 7am-2pm). I will make it with the pour-over method, perhaps the best way of brewing by the cup that can be done without a $12,000 clover press.
This coffee is also what's known as DIRECT TRADE meaning that Stumptown directly deals with the farmer who grew this coffee and can pay him top dollar without any middlemen, meaning that the farmer is paid considerably higher than what most are in the industry. (Feel free to talk to me more about this subject or read about it yourself).
Any money made from the sale of each cup will go towards meeting a need that arises over the next month or to some sort of charitable organization.
I plan on keeping you all updated on how much I've made, what folks are saying about the coffee, as well as what we end up doing with the money. Hopefully pictures will accompany anyone who decided to buy a cup of this incredible coffee as well as what they thought of it.
For those who think $12 for a cup of coffee is ludicrous perhaps you have never had great coffee...this is your chance to be enlightened while at the same time giving to two great causes at once...enriching a farmers life who have historically been oppressed and also towards the final lump sum that will be given to a charity or other cause.
Join me in this story!
...The Redemption of ALL Things
10.11.2009
A Few Thoughts on Persecution
I was talking with a friend who was telling me about a recent message that was delivered at a college group about how the Gospel of Jesus is offensive and that if we, as Christians, aren't being persecuted then we weren't truly following Jesus. Now, while this may be true if we were to collectively actually take Jesus seriously, this particular leader explained persecution as being mocked, laughed at, made fun of, ignored, etc. This conversation came just a few hours after a different friend of mine was telling me about a local radio show hosted by a local Christian leader where in this particular episode he discussed how standing on a street corner and giving people the Gospel, picketing against particular political ideas that are considered immoral, and fighting publicly to bring America "back" to God in our country is a worthwhile endeavor.
As Amy Poehler would say...
"REALLY??"
So this got me thinking...honestly, where do these leaders get these ideas? It's certainly not in Scripture and it's certainly NOT modeled by Jesus...perhaps it's an idea learned and accepted through a history of distorted and misunderstood ideas taught by well-intentioned faith traditions...
Anyways, this whole idea of being mocked or made fun of for your beliefs occurs no where in Scripture. (Jesus getting mocked by the Roman guards is the only thing I could think of and this instance is hardly due to particular beliefs but more about his confronting of an entire system of belief and worldview, which i'll get to in a second).
The early Christians in the Bible were persecuted, literally, like with whips, stones, torture, imprisonment, and even death because their faith led them act counter to the ideas of the Roman Empire. They were pacifists, fed and spent time with social outcasts, shared things together, loved their enemies, forgave those who wronged them, didn't buy into the idea of power but served, and didn't follow or accept the Roman and Greek gods...what they did was ANTI-government and ANTI-religious and THIS is what led them to be persecuted by the government and by the religious leaders of the day.
Now if this particular message was about if we only acted THIS way then maybe we really would get persecuted and he'd be right on track, however I'm afraid he was going somewhere else with his idea of persecution, atleast so it seems...
Look at Jesus, he wasn't made fun of or mocked by "sinners"...he ate, drank, and LOVED the "sinners" sinners of his day. They WANTED to be around him! Religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the government officials and rulers were the ones that hated and persecuted him! This too is why picketing and yelling and condemning is NOT a worthwhile endeavor. In fact, it's ANTI-Christ. It's not at all modeling the Way of Jesus. This way of doing things was not implemented by our Savior, in fact it was the exact opposite! He loved and invested time with the sinners of his day.
And that's our job too.
Thank goodness our country gives us the freedom to follow the religion we want. Unlike our unfortunate dear brothers and sisters in China, Korea, and other parts of the world where they are persecuted, again literally, by their governments. If we're persecuted here in America, it should be because were radically loving those whom our nation considers our enemies or outcasts or our own personal enemies, or refusing to "buy-in" to our capitalistic ideas of excessive materialism, greed, power, lust, and we should seek to serve, love, and build relationships with the least of these and those whom aren't like us, whether it be prostitutes, drunkards, the poor, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, homosexuals, prisoners, etc. (The same types of people Jesus spent time with and LOVED and SERVED)
We are not called to condemn, it's up to God to judge and avenge. We are called to follow Christ's example and to love and serve.
I hope this offers some freeing insight to everyone, especially for those who have heard this message or similar ones...we are not called to yell, scream, condemn, get made of and mocked* (this is an ideal of Christian leaders who use guilt to get us to serve God and make converts much like leaders who use fear to drive us to serve God and avoid hell), but were called to love unconditionally!
This is truly what makes the Gospel of Jesus offensive! It's offensive to the religious and to those in power because it's not the status quo and becuase it's radical. Unconditional love is radical. These are the groups of people that it was offensive to in Jesus day and it hasn't changed. (again, it's not sinners who should find it offensive). We are called to be like Christ, so may we learn more about Him and his Love and Way of life and partner with Him to continue to work towards the redemption of all things.
Here is an example of why the Gospel of Jesus is offensive...
http://andymoore.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/too-radical/
(or see photo on post)
GRACE and PEACE
-Ty
As Amy Poehler would say...
"REALLY??"
So this got me thinking...honestly, where do these leaders get these ideas? It's certainly not in Scripture and it's certainly NOT modeled by Jesus...perhaps it's an idea learned and accepted through a history of distorted and misunderstood ideas taught by well-intentioned faith traditions...
Anyways, this whole idea of being mocked or made fun of for your beliefs occurs no where in Scripture. (Jesus getting mocked by the Roman guards is the only thing I could think of and this instance is hardly due to particular beliefs but more about his confronting of an entire system of belief and worldview, which i'll get to in a second).
The early Christians in the Bible were persecuted, literally, like with whips, stones, torture, imprisonment, and even death because their faith led them act counter to the ideas of the Roman Empire. They were pacifists, fed and spent time with social outcasts, shared things together, loved their enemies, forgave those who wronged them, didn't buy into the idea of power but served, and didn't follow or accept the Roman and Greek gods...what they did was ANTI-government and ANTI-religious and THIS is what led them to be persecuted by the government and by the religious leaders of the day.
Now if this particular message was about if we only acted THIS way then maybe we really would get persecuted and he'd be right on track, however I'm afraid he was going somewhere else with his idea of persecution, atleast so it seems...
Look at Jesus, he wasn't made fun of or mocked by "sinners"...he ate, drank, and LOVED the "sinners" sinners of his day. They WANTED to be around him! Religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the government officials and rulers were the ones that hated and persecuted him! This too is why picketing and yelling and condemning is NOT a worthwhile endeavor. In fact, it's ANTI-Christ. It's not at all modeling the Way of Jesus. This way of doing things was not implemented by our Savior, in fact it was the exact opposite! He loved and invested time with the sinners of his day.
And that's our job too.
Thank goodness our country gives us the freedom to follow the religion we want. Unlike our unfortunate dear brothers and sisters in China, Korea, and other parts of the world where they are persecuted, again literally, by their governments. If we're persecuted here in America, it should be because were radically loving those whom our nation considers our enemies or outcasts or our own personal enemies, or refusing to "buy-in" to our capitalistic ideas of excessive materialism, greed, power, lust, and we should seek to serve, love, and build relationships with the least of these and those whom aren't like us, whether it be prostitutes, drunkards, the poor, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, homosexuals, prisoners, etc. (The same types of people Jesus spent time with and LOVED and SERVED)
We are not called to condemn, it's up to God to judge and avenge. We are called to follow Christ's example and to love and serve.
I hope this offers some freeing insight to everyone, especially for those who have heard this message or similar ones...we are not called to yell, scream, condemn, get made of and mocked* (this is an ideal of Christian leaders who use guilt to get us to serve God and make converts much like leaders who use fear to drive us to serve God and avoid hell), but were called to love unconditionally!
This is truly what makes the Gospel of Jesus offensive! It's offensive to the religious and to those in power because it's not the status quo and becuase it's radical. Unconditional love is radical. These are the groups of people that it was offensive to in Jesus day and it hasn't changed. (again, it's not sinners who should find it offensive). We are called to be like Christ, so may we learn more about Him and his Love and Way of life and partner with Him to continue to work towards the redemption of all things.
Here is an example of why the Gospel of Jesus is offensive...
http://andymoore.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/too-radical/
(or see photo on post)
GRACE and PEACE
-Ty
Infected by a Divine Pandemic
Recently, my dad has come down with an awful cold. It really makes no sense to me, middle of July and the guy gets a cold. And it's truly annoying to work with him because he has no regard for anyone around him (namely me, his own firstborn son) and coughs and coughs all over the truck, our tools, and my precious God-given air. Disgusting. And cold's are notorious for spreading, and spreading because of close contact. My nieces too are very sick now because he spent time with them just a few days ago. Interesting isn't it? The people you love the most you end up getting sick because of your close proximity to them. Yes, random people can get sick from you too, but it all has to do with closeness and breathing the same air.
Now none of this is new to anyone I'm sure, and it's not really new to me either but I just so happened to read this tonight in the book I'm reading called "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McClaren:
"...and just as a person who gets too close to a person with a cold catches first the germs and then their symptoms from his companions, then if we are plunged into God's light and heat (speaking of God as a consuming fire) long enough, if we stay close enough to God for long enough, close enough to breathe God's breath, so to speak, then we will catch a case of God... The symptoms of what God has; love, joy, peace, patience, justice, purity, strength, vitality...will be transferred to us, and we will be infected."
We would thus be infected by the Holy One. But this is a good infection! Because in this way we too would become "carriers" of these divine symptoms of love, grace, peace, mercy, justice, etc and hopefully cause a full-blown pandemic!
So, may you spend time with God...however that looks for you... Whether it's with people discussing Christ's life, death, resurrection, and life inside us or reading Scripture, or praying, or spending time marveling at creation, whatever the case may be, and by doing so become infected by his love and become carriers of these divine symptoms. For we are to spread these and share them with the world around us. So go ahead, cough, cough everywhere, over everything, and may we live to cause a pandemic that will spread over all the earth!!
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Now none of this is new to anyone I'm sure, and it's not really new to me either but I just so happened to read this tonight in the book I'm reading called "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McClaren:
"...and just as a person who gets too close to a person with a cold catches first the germs and then their symptoms from his companions, then if we are plunged into God's light and heat (speaking of God as a consuming fire) long enough, if we stay close enough to God for long enough, close enough to breathe God's breath, so to speak, then we will catch a case of God... The symptoms of what God has; love, joy, peace, patience, justice, purity, strength, vitality...will be transferred to us, and we will be infected."
We would thus be infected by the Holy One. But this is a good infection! Because in this way we too would become "carriers" of these divine symptoms of love, grace, peace, mercy, justice, etc and hopefully cause a full-blown pandemic!
So, may you spend time with God...however that looks for you... Whether it's with people discussing Christ's life, death, resurrection, and life inside us or reading Scripture, or praying, or spending time marveling at creation, whatever the case may be, and by doing so become infected by his love and become carriers of these divine symptoms. For we are to spread these and share them with the world around us. So go ahead, cough, cough everywhere, over everything, and may we live to cause a pandemic that will spread over all the earth!!
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Appendix to recent post
For those of you who think our government, namely our current President, already does enough for the less fortunate, i'd just like to say that the idea that the government spends a major part of its budget on public assistance is a myth ( most of it actually goes to national security and defense). I could throw some numbers at you but you can look up yourself if you really want to know. But a few points for you in terms of our wealthy country...
-The U.S. less generous than most countries in terms of aid for our welfare program
-Our welfare program covers fewer people than most other countries welfare programs
-Our government is less redistributive in terms of money and aid than most other countries
-America ranks almost dead last in % given to foreign aid in terms of GDP
It's safe to say that most of these figures have to do with our dominant ideology of individualism, capitalism, meritocracy, and equal opportunity.
Just a quick bit on each of these...
individualism runs completely contrary to what Scripture teaches about community
capitalism allows pretty much everyone except those at the top get exploited without asking questions. This is true for those in the lower class and the poor in other countries especially, thanks to the rise of globalization. This also runs contrary to scripture in terms of helping those in need and treating others as you'd want to be treated. ( as well as a plethora of other commands and teaching in Scripture)
Meritocracy is the idea that you get what you deserve. This completely ignores the fact that many people are in situations that they can't help. It's a cycle of poverty and institutional discrimination that keeps many of these people in the situations they are in. We can't ignore this reality!
And our idea of equal opportunity is hardly true. We may like to think this is the case, but again it ignores the fact that many people really don't have equal opportunity because the gateway to those opportunities are education and jobs, which are considerably lacking in areas of people in poverty.
America the beautiful. God's country. A city on a hill.
REALLY??
-The U.S. less generous than most countries in terms of aid for our welfare program
-Our welfare program covers fewer people than most other countries welfare programs
-Our government is less redistributive in terms of money and aid than most other countries
-America ranks almost dead last in % given to foreign aid in terms of GDP
It's safe to say that most of these figures have to do with our dominant ideology of individualism, capitalism, meritocracy, and equal opportunity.
Just a quick bit on each of these...
individualism runs completely contrary to what Scripture teaches about community
capitalism allows pretty much everyone except those at the top get exploited without asking questions. This is true for those in the lower class and the poor in other countries especially, thanks to the rise of globalization. This also runs contrary to scripture in terms of helping those in need and treating others as you'd want to be treated. ( as well as a plethora of other commands and teaching in Scripture)
Meritocracy is the idea that you get what you deserve. This completely ignores the fact that many people are in situations that they can't help. It's a cycle of poverty and institutional discrimination that keeps many of these people in the situations they are in. We can't ignore this reality!
And our idea of equal opportunity is hardly true. We may like to think this is the case, but again it ignores the fact that many people really don't have equal opportunity because the gateway to those opportunities are education and jobs, which are considerably lacking in areas of people in poverty.
America the beautiful. God's country. A city on a hill.
REALLY??
Guns, gangs, drugs, Master P, and the love of Jesus
I've had a few people ask me to write something since I haven't done so in awhile so this is for all of you who wanted a tid-bit of thought...
Two weeks ago at Imago, Eric Potter talked about a passage in Ephesians in regards to anger. Out of that he talked about a few instances where Jesus got angry, and how that anger always led to action in a positive way. Too many times in our anger we do something foolish or negative and that's not what God wants us to do with our anger. Jesus got angry with people making profits off of the Jews desire to honor God with their sacrifices and made use of that instance by showing that the place of gathering for believers is not meant to be used for material gain. He also got angry when people were unsure whether it was okay to heal on the Sabbath. This may seem ridiculous to us, but Jews followed these rules set in place by legalist Pharisees very closely so they'd be counted worthy, and Jesus responds to their ignorance with an angry look and took action by healing a man's hand.
So Eric posed the question of what made us angry and asked what we were doing about it (in a positive way). Usually we get angry about things that don't matter, like the Cubs losing or a bad driver, but this was more about anger towards an injustice. So I began to think about this and after mulling over some recent discussions I had with some people about my current job of tutoring at Manual High School, I knew right away what made me angry.
I get angry at people's stereotypes of those living in poverty and the nature of poverty itself.
I can't tell you how many times I've told people (including friends and family) what I'm doing now and they are quick to make a remark about whether or not I bring a gun with me or if I'm afraid for my life or why i'm not helping at a school where people "aren't just looking for handouts". This makes me angry...and I think rightfully so. It's an injustice that people (this includes Christians even) have these thoughts and feelings about people that they know nothing about and who God calls as blessed and calls us to love and help.
I feel like the best thing I can do, for now, is to shed some light on my experiences at Manual in hopes that some of you may reconsider your thoughts or feelings about folks in poverty or who are less fortunate that most of us.
I must say that if it wasn't for my old youth pastor James P. I wouldn't have the slightest clue about how to interact and relate to people of a different culture than me. But because of his love for kids in inner-city peoria, I feel that I understood at an early age God's love for everyone, especially those that are poor, oppressed, and exploited. (So James, if you read this, thank you soo soo much!) I can't talk about everything but it will touch on a few issues that I think are very important to understand about these students.
One is literacy. I know it's hard to believe but there are still many kids in Peoria that can't read ( and this is in high school). And if they can read, they can't comprehend what they are reading. THIS ISN'T BECAUSE THEY ARE DUMB. It's because of the lack of resources in education and a lack of people in their lives that serve as positive role models to care about them and believe in them. (hmmm, maybe there's a role the church can play) Many of these students are stuck in generational poverty and don't see a way out so unless they have a relationship with someone encouraging them and telling them otherwise, they don't have a reason to believe any different. This education is vital to them because it provides a way out of the mess they were born into, but this is only possible with the help of people to invest TIME and ENERGY in them. Also, it's been my experience so far that most of these kids that are causing trouble are the one's that can't read. It's hard for them to follow along in class so they end up causing trouble because they can't focus on their schooling. So not only would improving their literacy help their acadamics but would cut down in behavior issues (which eventually lead to crime....starting to see importance of education?)
In our African American Studies class, the students watched a video on Ghandi and we then had a discussion comparing his non-violent ideals to that of Martin Luther King Jr. These kids couldn't fathom a life without violence. Right or wrong, gangs and the guns and violence that come along with it provide an escape from the s**ty reality they find themselves in. It's a game to them. And yes, I think it's bad and wrong, but we at least have to begin to understand why they do the things they do and acknowledge the reasons they do so. Telling them that gangs are bad and wrong aren't going to do anything to change their behavior. Just like abstinence only programs are the dumbest thing for these kids because they aren't going to listen to us telling them sex is bad. Without proper sex education these kids are going to continue having babies younger and younger forcing them deeper and deeper into poverty. Same thing with drugs. Again drugs ARE bad, but just as telling them so isn't going to change them using drugs as an escape from their seemingly hopeless destiny of being stuck in poverty. The only thing that's going to change all of this is RELATIONSHIPS. At the center of the faith many of us claim we have is the importance of relationships. So I find it unnerving that our hearts aren't moved by the opportunity to provide the life and love of Christ in the lives of those that desperately need it. Relationship and love is what will bring justice to their situations and that's what following Jesus is all about...so why isn't it happening more?
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go be a tutor or teach inner-city kids, so please don't assume that. I'm just saying that if we (especially Christians) want to see poverty and the things that come along with it alleviated we have to invest in some relationships with people in those situations and forgo any preconceived ideas (which are probably wrong and generalized) about people in these situations. Also, this is different than charity...which involves just writing a check or giving some money to a worthy cause. That's only part of it. It's the relationship and the working of Jesus through you that's really going to bring change to people's lives and life situations.
My prayer and hope is that the Church will wake up to this reality and play a bigger role in something we should have been doing all along...following clear commands of God and Jesus throughout the entirety of Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) and loving and helping those in need and whom God calls blessed. (Maybe your interaction with them may actually teach you a little something about God) If anything, I ask that people, again especially Christians, would at least stop making judgments about people and situations that they really know nothing about.
So there it is...that's what makes me angry. And I have a long way to go myself in regards to playing my part. This is all observation after only a few months. I have a lot to learn and do myself. I'm just thankful that God has opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. It's to easy for us to ignore it or act as if it's not really an issue here in America. But it is, and I hope that we will do whatever we can to bring hope to the poor here in America and ultimately to the world at large.
So what makes you angry?
Two weeks ago at Imago, Eric Potter talked about a passage in Ephesians in regards to anger. Out of that he talked about a few instances where Jesus got angry, and how that anger always led to action in a positive way. Too many times in our anger we do something foolish or negative and that's not what God wants us to do with our anger. Jesus got angry with people making profits off of the Jews desire to honor God with their sacrifices and made use of that instance by showing that the place of gathering for believers is not meant to be used for material gain. He also got angry when people were unsure whether it was okay to heal on the Sabbath. This may seem ridiculous to us, but Jews followed these rules set in place by legalist Pharisees very closely so they'd be counted worthy, and Jesus responds to their ignorance with an angry look and took action by healing a man's hand.
So Eric posed the question of what made us angry and asked what we were doing about it (in a positive way). Usually we get angry about things that don't matter, like the Cubs losing or a bad driver, but this was more about anger towards an injustice. So I began to think about this and after mulling over some recent discussions I had with some people about my current job of tutoring at Manual High School, I knew right away what made me angry.
I get angry at people's stereotypes of those living in poverty and the nature of poverty itself.
I can't tell you how many times I've told people (including friends and family) what I'm doing now and they are quick to make a remark about whether or not I bring a gun with me or if I'm afraid for my life or why i'm not helping at a school where people "aren't just looking for handouts". This makes me angry...and I think rightfully so. It's an injustice that people (this includes Christians even) have these thoughts and feelings about people that they know nothing about and who God calls as blessed and calls us to love and help.
I feel like the best thing I can do, for now, is to shed some light on my experiences at Manual in hopes that some of you may reconsider your thoughts or feelings about folks in poverty or who are less fortunate that most of us.
I must say that if it wasn't for my old youth pastor James P. I wouldn't have the slightest clue about how to interact and relate to people of a different culture than me. But because of his love for kids in inner-city peoria, I feel that I understood at an early age God's love for everyone, especially those that are poor, oppressed, and exploited. (So James, if you read this, thank you soo soo much!) I can't talk about everything but it will touch on a few issues that I think are very important to understand about these students.
One is literacy. I know it's hard to believe but there are still many kids in Peoria that can't read ( and this is in high school). And if they can read, they can't comprehend what they are reading. THIS ISN'T BECAUSE THEY ARE DUMB. It's because of the lack of resources in education and a lack of people in their lives that serve as positive role models to care about them and believe in them. (hmmm, maybe there's a role the church can play) Many of these students are stuck in generational poverty and don't see a way out so unless they have a relationship with someone encouraging them and telling them otherwise, they don't have a reason to believe any different. This education is vital to them because it provides a way out of the mess they were born into, but this is only possible with the help of people to invest TIME and ENERGY in them. Also, it's been my experience so far that most of these kids that are causing trouble are the one's that can't read. It's hard for them to follow along in class so they end up causing trouble because they can't focus on their schooling. So not only would improving their literacy help their acadamics but would cut down in behavior issues (which eventually lead to crime....starting to see importance of education?)
In our African American Studies class, the students watched a video on Ghandi and we then had a discussion comparing his non-violent ideals to that of Martin Luther King Jr. These kids couldn't fathom a life without violence. Right or wrong, gangs and the guns and violence that come along with it provide an escape from the s**ty reality they find themselves in. It's a game to them. And yes, I think it's bad and wrong, but we at least have to begin to understand why they do the things they do and acknowledge the reasons they do so. Telling them that gangs are bad and wrong aren't going to do anything to change their behavior. Just like abstinence only programs are the dumbest thing for these kids because they aren't going to listen to us telling them sex is bad. Without proper sex education these kids are going to continue having babies younger and younger forcing them deeper and deeper into poverty. Same thing with drugs. Again drugs ARE bad, but just as telling them so isn't going to change them using drugs as an escape from their seemingly hopeless destiny of being stuck in poverty. The only thing that's going to change all of this is RELATIONSHIPS. At the center of the faith many of us claim we have is the importance of relationships. So I find it unnerving that our hearts aren't moved by the opportunity to provide the life and love of Christ in the lives of those that desperately need it. Relationship and love is what will bring justice to their situations and that's what following Jesus is all about...so why isn't it happening more?
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go be a tutor or teach inner-city kids, so please don't assume that. I'm just saying that if we (especially Christians) want to see poverty and the things that come along with it alleviated we have to invest in some relationships with people in those situations and forgo any preconceived ideas (which are probably wrong and generalized) about people in these situations. Also, this is different than charity...which involves just writing a check or giving some money to a worthy cause. That's only part of it. It's the relationship and the working of Jesus through you that's really going to bring change to people's lives and life situations.
My prayer and hope is that the Church will wake up to this reality and play a bigger role in something we should have been doing all along...following clear commands of God and Jesus throughout the entirety of Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) and loving and helping those in need and whom God calls blessed. (Maybe your interaction with them may actually teach you a little something about God) If anything, I ask that people, again especially Christians, would at least stop making judgments about people and situations that they really know nothing about.
So there it is...that's what makes me angry. And I have a long way to go myself in regards to playing my part. This is all observation after only a few months. I have a lot to learn and do myself. I'm just thankful that God has opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. It's to easy for us to ignore it or act as if it's not really an issue here in America. But it is, and I hope that we will do whatever we can to bring hope to the poor here in America and ultimately to the world at large.
So what makes you angry?
Warrior Jesus
I've been reading a book called Everything Must Change by Brian McClaren. In it, he talks about how we must begin to deconstruct our conventional ideas about Jesus and Christianity and begin to ask the question, "Can Jesus message change the world?" Is his message strictly a spiritual one that only deals with our spirituality and what happens after we die....salvation of our souls? Or does his message not only spiritual, but political, social environmental, economical....salvation of mankind and everything that goes along with it. After all for the Ancient Jews (including Jesus) there was no word for spiritual because it was understood that EVERYTHING was spiritual. So then, does Jesus message apply to all of life and apply to it now?
If we're honest with ourselves we have to admit life would be, and is, rather boring if we believe and act as though Jesus came only to save souls for the afterlife and until then while we're here on this wretched earth we're just supposed to be good little boys and girls and be nice to people hoping that they'll see our niceness and maybe want to follow Jesus too. Isn't there something more? Wouldn't it take more faith to believe in Jesus' teachings about the poor and oppressed, peace, love, justice, acceptance, diversity, forgiveness, grace, mercy, reconciliation, and hope were all tools in providing us with a way to live a better life here and now that's not of this world. The way of this world is all about greed, selfish ambition, exploitation, vengeance, hate, war, separation, bitterness, racism, and injustice.
Wouldn't that be something? I mean, if Jesus actually meant what he said? That "the Kingdom of God was at hand." I mean that's "Good News" for everyone. Jesus is coming and saying to us, "Hey guys! There's a better way to live! It's not like the way of this world that you're used to. And you can live that new way now! It's here and it's for the taking if you just believe in what I say and show you!" This is a way that if lived out by all his followers could actually bring heaven to earth…could actually change the world and make it the place He originally intended. Perhaps that's what Jesus meant when he told his disciples how to pray...."May Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Now I understand that there are a large number of Christians who would say, "well that sounds great and all, Ty, but this world is going to keep getting worse and worse and eventually it's all going to be destroyed when Jesus comes back and slaughters every human being that doesn't believe in him and destroy everything else he created (trees, flowers, birds, mountains, bluejays, panda bears, monkey’s, squirrels, all things that God made and said we're good back in Genesis) in the name of justice, thus bringing his reign of love, peace, hope and justice to this world. Jesus slaughtering people? God destroying the very earth he called good? Why would Jesus come back and completely defy EVERYTHING he taught us and showed us and made new by his message, life, cross, and resurection? Maybe this conventional idea of warrior Jesus is not only wrong, but ignorant and worthy or heresy. This view is taken mainly from one book of the Bible that has multiple different interpretations. ( if someone wants to research something interesting, read about ancient Jewish apocalyptic writing and read Revelations again and maybe you'll read it in a totally different way, they way those first hearers might have understood his "revelation") So why pick this one interpretation and base everything you believe about Jesus and life around it? This fatalistic view point of Jesus and the end of the world completely eradicates us from having any responsibility whatsoever of having to take Jesus seriously and using the tools he provided us with (one of which included his own spirit in us!) to bring heaven to earth. It's so much easier to spiritualize everything and make Jesus fit into our box and just worry about being saved from hell than it is to apply the message of Christ to everything in our life and work inside God's box (if he even has one?).
There have been people that have laughed at me for believing that Jesus could actually save the planet? Why is that so funny? Shouldn't that be what we desperately want? Shouldn't that be what following Jesus is all about? Working together to redeem humanity. I mean that would be life to the full (or as John would call it "eternal life" that starts now!) Is this not what God sent Jesus for? To be an ultimate sacrifice so that we can actually go before God and have relationship with him and work with Him to bring the chaos of this world back to what he meant it to be like thousands of years ago in Eden? Isn’t that what Paul meant when he called Jesus the new Adam or the new humanity?
There are also Christians who believe that the world will just keep getting better and better and then finally Jesus will decide it's time to come back and do the same thing i described above. This deterministic view also eradicates us of having any responsibility to do anything at all to follow the message of Jesus and His kingdom. Are things just going to magically get better? Or will it take some responsibility on our part?
Now I hesitate to put this next part in here because i haven't studied it enough or talked to enough people about it but it's just a thought so bear with me....
But, what if Jesus in his coming and teaching, his life, death, and resurrection provided all the tools necessary for Him to return but it wasn't in the way we've always thought. What if the holy spirit working through us and working through the church is his second body? What if, in essence, Jesus was already "back" like we want to think he will do in the future (and maybe he himself will actually come someday too, but it won't happen until we begin to establish his kingdom here), and ready to bring heaven to earth. What I mean by "Jesus" being back is twofold: Both Jesus in us and working through us and Jesus body as the Church. So we have an individual responsibility to let Christ live through us (no we are not perfect and Christ will not always shine through us but we can work to let him shine through us more!) And we have a corporate responsibility to work together to be the "body" of Christ as the apostle Paul puts it.
He gave us the tools we need, he even showed us how to do it. All that's left is for us to have the faith of a mustard seed to begin partner with him to live it out.
I understand that all of this raises more and more questions. Questions that may not have answers, but they are questions that you should ask yourself and that I should ask myself. Why do i believe what i believe about Jesus? Does what i believe about him line up with his message? Why does church do things this way or that way? why doesn't the church talk much about Jesus and his teachings but yet focus on strictly "spiritual" things that pertain to doctrine or the afterlife? Maybe these questions that i attempted to work through in this blog are futile and pointless and none of what I'm saying is possible? I'm just asking the question and giving it thought. It makes sense to me and it fits the Gospel and the character of God.
If you're interested in any further reading about this idea and others like it check out these books:
Everything Must Change: Brian McClaren
Velvit Elvis: Rob Bell
Myth of A Christian Nation: Greg Boyd
Irresistible Revolution: Shane Claiborn
The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McClaren
The Politics of Jesus: Obery Hendricks
God's Politics: Jim Wallis
Jesus For President: Shane Claiborn
If we're honest with ourselves we have to admit life would be, and is, rather boring if we believe and act as though Jesus came only to save souls for the afterlife and until then while we're here on this wretched earth we're just supposed to be good little boys and girls and be nice to people hoping that they'll see our niceness and maybe want to follow Jesus too. Isn't there something more? Wouldn't it take more faith to believe in Jesus' teachings about the poor and oppressed, peace, love, justice, acceptance, diversity, forgiveness, grace, mercy, reconciliation, and hope were all tools in providing us with a way to live a better life here and now that's not of this world. The way of this world is all about greed, selfish ambition, exploitation, vengeance, hate, war, separation, bitterness, racism, and injustice.
Wouldn't that be something? I mean, if Jesus actually meant what he said? That "the Kingdom of God was at hand." I mean that's "Good News" for everyone. Jesus is coming and saying to us, "Hey guys! There's a better way to live! It's not like the way of this world that you're used to. And you can live that new way now! It's here and it's for the taking if you just believe in what I say and show you!" This is a way that if lived out by all his followers could actually bring heaven to earth…could actually change the world and make it the place He originally intended. Perhaps that's what Jesus meant when he told his disciples how to pray...."May Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Now I understand that there are a large number of Christians who would say, "well that sounds great and all, Ty, but this world is going to keep getting worse and worse and eventually it's all going to be destroyed when Jesus comes back and slaughters every human being that doesn't believe in him and destroy everything else he created (trees, flowers, birds, mountains, bluejays, panda bears, monkey’s, squirrels, all things that God made and said we're good back in Genesis) in the name of justice, thus bringing his reign of love, peace, hope and justice to this world. Jesus slaughtering people? God destroying the very earth he called good? Why would Jesus come back and completely defy EVERYTHING he taught us and showed us and made new by his message, life, cross, and resurection? Maybe this conventional idea of warrior Jesus is not only wrong, but ignorant and worthy or heresy. This view is taken mainly from one book of the Bible that has multiple different interpretations. ( if someone wants to research something interesting, read about ancient Jewish apocalyptic writing and read Revelations again and maybe you'll read it in a totally different way, they way those first hearers might have understood his "revelation") So why pick this one interpretation and base everything you believe about Jesus and life around it? This fatalistic view point of Jesus and the end of the world completely eradicates us from having any responsibility whatsoever of having to take Jesus seriously and using the tools he provided us with (one of which included his own spirit in us!) to bring heaven to earth. It's so much easier to spiritualize everything and make Jesus fit into our box and just worry about being saved from hell than it is to apply the message of Christ to everything in our life and work inside God's box (if he even has one?).
There have been people that have laughed at me for believing that Jesus could actually save the planet? Why is that so funny? Shouldn't that be what we desperately want? Shouldn't that be what following Jesus is all about? Working together to redeem humanity. I mean that would be life to the full (or as John would call it "eternal life" that starts now!) Is this not what God sent Jesus for? To be an ultimate sacrifice so that we can actually go before God and have relationship with him and work with Him to bring the chaos of this world back to what he meant it to be like thousands of years ago in Eden? Isn’t that what Paul meant when he called Jesus the new Adam or the new humanity?
There are also Christians who believe that the world will just keep getting better and better and then finally Jesus will decide it's time to come back and do the same thing i described above. This deterministic view also eradicates us of having any responsibility to do anything at all to follow the message of Jesus and His kingdom. Are things just going to magically get better? Or will it take some responsibility on our part?
Now I hesitate to put this next part in here because i haven't studied it enough or talked to enough people about it but it's just a thought so bear with me....
But, what if Jesus in his coming and teaching, his life, death, and resurrection provided all the tools necessary for Him to return but it wasn't in the way we've always thought. What if the holy spirit working through us and working through the church is his second body? What if, in essence, Jesus was already "back" like we want to think he will do in the future (and maybe he himself will actually come someday too, but it won't happen until we begin to establish his kingdom here), and ready to bring heaven to earth. What I mean by "Jesus" being back is twofold: Both Jesus in us and working through us and Jesus body as the Church. So we have an individual responsibility to let Christ live through us (no we are not perfect and Christ will not always shine through us but we can work to let him shine through us more!) And we have a corporate responsibility to work together to be the "body" of Christ as the apostle Paul puts it.
He gave us the tools we need, he even showed us how to do it. All that's left is for us to have the faith of a mustard seed to begin partner with him to live it out.
I understand that all of this raises more and more questions. Questions that may not have answers, but they are questions that you should ask yourself and that I should ask myself. Why do i believe what i believe about Jesus? Does what i believe about him line up with his message? Why does church do things this way or that way? why doesn't the church talk much about Jesus and his teachings but yet focus on strictly "spiritual" things that pertain to doctrine or the afterlife? Maybe these questions that i attempted to work through in this blog are futile and pointless and none of what I'm saying is possible? I'm just asking the question and giving it thought. It makes sense to me and it fits the Gospel and the character of God.
If you're interested in any further reading about this idea and others like it check out these books:
Everything Must Change: Brian McClaren
Velvit Elvis: Rob Bell
Myth of A Christian Nation: Greg Boyd
Irresistible Revolution: Shane Claiborn
The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McClaren
The Politics of Jesus: Obery Hendricks
God's Politics: Jim Wallis
Jesus For President: Shane Claiborn
1.07.2009
A new chapter
A new chapter of my life is beginning and i have a wide range of emotions to go along with it. I feel as if this last year has been a kind of re-shaping, or a molding, or a sort of ice sculpting of sorts making me into more of the person that God had in mind when he created me. i have been sort of behind the scenes really this past year just working ( playing with poop...not really but that's what everyone seems to think a plumber does) and hanging out with a whole new group of friends whom i've grown to love and care about deeply. it has been the best kind of restoring and redeeming process i could have ever imagined (refer to my last blog) but now i'm ready to move on with life. i'm getting ready to start school back up so i'm gonna be around people again building relationships and doing the same thing at my new job at Barnes and Noble. And i'm ready for it! There are so many people that need to know God's love for them AND for the whole world. They need to have hope for something better and for something that's worth living for. I feel like i really have something to offer more than ever. And i feel like i understand God's grace more than ever and i'm ready to share that with EVERYONE!
I want to understand MORE of what it means for me to die and for Christ to live IN ME. sometimes i feel so overwhelmed with trying to figure this whole thing out. Or I get frustrated with church/religion/my past that i really lose focus of what it means to just know that i have this peace which transcends all understanding living deep inside of me infused with me soul. and i want to live out of that! Just the other night at Confession ( not the Catholic tradition but the college thing at Riverside) i felt like absolute crap. i was gettin very frustrated with myself because i could not let that peace take over in me. i wanted to sing songs and worship corporately with everyone there but i couldn't help but begin to think about what people there that i used to be close with think about me and my past and what happened whether they know the story or not. a lot of them knew me when i worked there and i always have this feeling that i let so many of them down and then i was thinking about how they could be watching me and there i was not raising my hands and jumping up and down and how that must mean i'm not as passionate for God as i once was so then i felt i had to lift my hands just so i didn't look like i didn't care even though i did but i didn't want to fake it so i didn't and then i just got more irritated at myself and all these things just were swirling around in my head and it was soooo overwhelming. and i know that it was all just lies from the Enemy and i realized how truly selfish it was to think that people were even paying any attention to me at all and it just made me laugh to myself and i just went home and cried with kami trying to explain all this crap going on in me that i didn't really understand and i realized that i wasn't allowing Christ to live. i was too preoccupied with myself and my past and shame and all kinds of things that i don't need to feel because Jesus has all ready freed me from all that brokeness and hurt.
I always feel like i need to explain myself and i worry what others think about me and i hate it. it's exhausting. If i could learn more and more to die to myself and allow Christ to live I wouldn't feel that way anymore. Honestly i have no idea what i'm tyring to even communicate to you folks out there but i guess it's that you can be free from worrying about what others think about you. you can be free from a lot of worries in life. you can have peace. a peace that transcends ALL understanding and if you're a follower of Jesus you don't have to ASK for it..it's all ready there IN you! so join me in discovering what that means! it's a constant struggle but it's good to have little reminders and that's what this is i guess. And to trust and believe that there are always NEW chapters of life. There is HOPE for new experiences and NEW relationships and NEW beginnings where we can improve and live out what God has just taught us and changed WITHIN us!
Grace and Peace
I want to understand MORE of what it means for me to die and for Christ to live IN ME. sometimes i feel so overwhelmed with trying to figure this whole thing out. Or I get frustrated with church/religion/my past that i really lose focus of what it means to just know that i have this peace which transcends all understanding living deep inside of me infused with me soul. and i want to live out of that! Just the other night at Confession ( not the Catholic tradition but the college thing at Riverside) i felt like absolute crap. i was gettin very frustrated with myself because i could not let that peace take over in me. i wanted to sing songs and worship corporately with everyone there but i couldn't help but begin to think about what people there that i used to be close with think about me and my past and what happened whether they know the story or not. a lot of them knew me when i worked there and i always have this feeling that i let so many of them down and then i was thinking about how they could be watching me and there i was not raising my hands and jumping up and down and how that must mean i'm not as passionate for God as i once was so then i felt i had to lift my hands just so i didn't look like i didn't care even though i did but i didn't want to fake it so i didn't and then i just got more irritated at myself and all these things just were swirling around in my head and it was soooo overwhelming. and i know that it was all just lies from the Enemy and i realized how truly selfish it was to think that people were even paying any attention to me at all and it just made me laugh to myself and i just went home and cried with kami trying to explain all this crap going on in me that i didn't really understand and i realized that i wasn't allowing Christ to live. i was too preoccupied with myself and my past and shame and all kinds of things that i don't need to feel because Jesus has all ready freed me from all that brokeness and hurt.
I always feel like i need to explain myself and i worry what others think about me and i hate it. it's exhausting. If i could learn more and more to die to myself and allow Christ to live I wouldn't feel that way anymore. Honestly i have no idea what i'm tyring to even communicate to you folks out there but i guess it's that you can be free from worrying about what others think about you. you can be free from a lot of worries in life. you can have peace. a peace that transcends ALL understanding and if you're a follower of Jesus you don't have to ASK for it..it's all ready there IN you! so join me in discovering what that means! it's a constant struggle but it's good to have little reminders and that's what this is i guess. And to trust and believe that there are always NEW chapters of life. There is HOPE for new experiences and NEW relationships and NEW beginnings where we can improve and live out what God has just taught us and changed WITHIN us!
Grace and Peace
12.07.2008
A testimony to God's redeeming love
This is long overdue...
Today at Imago Dei ( the community of folks I do life with...some call it church, ha) Charlie talked about JOY. And he read James 1:2-4 and spoke of the tension we have in finding joy in the tough times/trials and what exactly that means. i feel like i UNDERSTAND it...specifically because of what i've gone through in the last year. Many of you know this has been a RIDICULOUS year for me in terms of life situations and in terms of spirtual/emotional growth and maturity. And I want to take just a second to reflect on how GOD was IN that and thank all those who have been a part of helping 2008 go from the worst year of my life to perhaps the best year of my life...
James 1:2-4
"Consider it PURE joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
consider it it pure joy when you face trials?
As Charlie said, "Really?"
You can't be serious James. You obviously have noooo idea what i've been through!
My dad just died of cancer...PURE joy?
My car was just totaled...PURE joy?
I was just diagnosed with a particular disease...PURE joy?
My relationship/MARRIAGE has failed...PURE joy?
He/She wronged me...PURE joy?
I just lost my job...PURE joy?
I have no food to eat and no place to lay my head...PURE joy?
(FYI not all of these things happened to me..some are just examples)
The list goes on...and James tells us to consider those things and still be joyful. Now as Charlie talked about this I couldn't help but think of redemption. We serve a God of redemption. I'm sure that as Christ was being led to the Cross and as they beat him and flogged him he wasn't thinking what a joyous occasion that was. Joy is NOT necessarily happiness or a good time. Joy is not SITUATIONAL. but even though Jesus was going through all that he knew what as going to come on SATURDAY. He understood that even though he felt that way then, that God had a plan, all He had done through Jesus and taught through Him up to that point would culminate on the cross and then in his resurrection and at Pentecost, there was hope in what was to come and IN THAT, he could find JOY.
God WILL REDEEM.
The joy I have is deeply connected to the REDEMPTION I have experienced IN ME. 6 months ago I couldn't have told you how things would get better. no clue. in fact at that time i felt like things would never get better. now you have to understand that God didn't FIX the problem that was at hand. i didn't understand why not. But now as I look back i can see how God began to REDEEM me despite the problem. That's usually how God works. We tend to expect HIM to always FIX things. But sometimes life and our brokenness and others freewill and our own (which He will ALWAYS honor) don't allow for the fixing of life's problems but if we allow Him to, God will REDEEM US internally. we trust that SATURDAY will come. Charlie said that a theologian calls it,
"the eschatological expectancy of joy"
which is a fancy way for saying that IN Christ we have this assurance that in the future (eschatology) things will be better (redeemed).
James is helping us understand that just because we are IN Christ and have committed ourselves to Him DOES NOT guarantee that bad things won't happen to us. (don't by into that prosperity gospel/happy happy happy/ best life now BULL %$*@) Life is messy. Bad things WILL still happen to us. But when they do, are you gonna let it ruin you or let it shape you. it's going to do either or. there is no in-between. and James encourages us to consider those things PURE joy because God is going to redeem you on the inside! there is JOY in that! Let those things makes us mature! Persevere because SATURDAY is coming...REDEMPTION is on it's way!
I can't tell you how things exactly got to where they are for me today but I can look back over this last half-year and see how God orchestrated things around me and in me that have truly REDEEMED me and given me HOPE. There is SO MUCH JOY in that. I could not have done it without him and the people around me. Charlie said that the mark of believers, those who claim to follow Christ, is that when the pooh hits the fan ( he didn't say that, i did), we still remain faithful to Him and seek Him. We don't let life's circumstances knock us off track in our pursuit of and partaking in the "upside-down kingdom". I couldn't have remained faithful without the community of those around me...
Jeff, I miss the heck out of you. thank you for being there for me. for crying with me, listening to me, letting me get angry and say things I didn't mean, for loving me, giving me hope and making me laugh. I don't know what I would have done without you there. Jessey, thanks for being there too and letting me steal jeff's time during that time! come home soon!!
Eric, thanks for also being there for me during that time. Quite a time for you to first meet me :) thanks for your love and grace and time to listen to me as well. I'm so glad you're around and that our friendship has grown.
John, thanks for your love for me and for your conversations that have helped me understand God so much more. I love you brother! thanks for all you did and continue to do in my life.
charlie, thanks for your grace and love. for meeting me for breakfast when you didn't even know me and for listening to my heart and my brokenness and for helping me realize that SATURDAY is coming. Thanks for Imago Dei and your leadership there...you have NO idea how good it feels to be a part of a church like what we have going on there. brilliant and beautiful!
small group, thank you guys for your love and your listening ears to me as well over the past 6 months. i love all of you so stinkin' much!
Greg and Ryan, you guys are two of the best guys in all of the land. i'm so glad God brought you two in my life when he did. amazing how God works. i value our conversations so much and i'm so glad we can not only grow together in our spiritual lives but we can have a heck of a good time together too. you two better stay in my life forever, i love you both.
ZuZu, i'm glad you're back in my life too. you have a heart of freakin' gold and I loooove it. you teach me a lot about God's love! and it's nice to have such a like-minded friend. i don't care what people say about your browness, i love you.
Kami, thank you for giving me a chance even while knowing everything. i'm so thankful for you and CAN'T wait to get to know you more and for everyone around me to get to know you more! you are so full of grace and love and gentleness and innocence and joy! you've sparked more hope in me! Thanks for letting me be me and enjoying it!
Rob Bell, don't act like you don't read my blogs! Thanks so much for your books and podcasts! God has used you to encouarge me many many times and have helped me a great deal how I understand the God we serve...and it makes me LOVE him MORE! Thanks for your insight! someday i wanna be you! not in a weird idolatrous kind of way but ya know...insightful, hip, full of love, grace, and peace, and helping people see and understand God in ways that help them love and appreciate him more!
and to my family (most likely you won't be reading this but ya know..props to you anyways) and everyone else thanks so much for all your love and grace!
So, anyone who is reading this and has gone through a crap time or is going though one, KNOW that you can find joy WITHIN you no matter what because REDEMPTION is coming! The situation may not play out like you'd like it to but if you allow God to work in you, He will! The time table may be different for everyone but over time you will be able to look back and see how God worked everything out and you will be able to see what He's done IN you and THROUGH you...
"And we know that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who LOVE him" Romans 8:28
There is JOY in that!
Grace and Peace,
Today at Imago Dei ( the community of folks I do life with...some call it church, ha) Charlie talked about JOY. And he read James 1:2-4 and spoke of the tension we have in finding joy in the tough times/trials and what exactly that means. i feel like i UNDERSTAND it...specifically because of what i've gone through in the last year. Many of you know this has been a RIDICULOUS year for me in terms of life situations and in terms of spirtual/emotional growth and maturity. And I want to take just a second to reflect on how GOD was IN that and thank all those who have been a part of helping 2008 go from the worst year of my life to perhaps the best year of my life...
James 1:2-4
"Consider it PURE joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
consider it it pure joy when you face trials?
As Charlie said, "Really?"
You can't be serious James. You obviously have noooo idea what i've been through!
My dad just died of cancer...PURE joy?
My car was just totaled...PURE joy?
I was just diagnosed with a particular disease...PURE joy?
My relationship/MARRIAGE has failed...PURE joy?
He/She wronged me...PURE joy?
I just lost my job...PURE joy?
I have no food to eat and no place to lay my head...PURE joy?
(FYI not all of these things happened to me..some are just examples)
The list goes on...and James tells us to consider those things and still be joyful. Now as Charlie talked about this I couldn't help but think of redemption. We serve a God of redemption. I'm sure that as Christ was being led to the Cross and as they beat him and flogged him he wasn't thinking what a joyous occasion that was. Joy is NOT necessarily happiness or a good time. Joy is not SITUATIONAL. but even though Jesus was going through all that he knew what as going to come on SATURDAY. He understood that even though he felt that way then, that God had a plan, all He had done through Jesus and taught through Him up to that point would culminate on the cross and then in his resurrection and at Pentecost, there was hope in what was to come and IN THAT, he could find JOY.
God WILL REDEEM.
The joy I have is deeply connected to the REDEMPTION I have experienced IN ME. 6 months ago I couldn't have told you how things would get better. no clue. in fact at that time i felt like things would never get better. now you have to understand that God didn't FIX the problem that was at hand. i didn't understand why not. But now as I look back i can see how God began to REDEEM me despite the problem. That's usually how God works. We tend to expect HIM to always FIX things. But sometimes life and our brokenness and others freewill and our own (which He will ALWAYS honor) don't allow for the fixing of life's problems but if we allow Him to, God will REDEEM US internally. we trust that SATURDAY will come. Charlie said that a theologian calls it,
"the eschatological expectancy of joy"
which is a fancy way for saying that IN Christ we have this assurance that in the future (eschatology) things will be better (redeemed).
James is helping us understand that just because we are IN Christ and have committed ourselves to Him DOES NOT guarantee that bad things won't happen to us. (don't by into that prosperity gospel/happy happy happy/ best life now BULL %$*@) Life is messy. Bad things WILL still happen to us. But when they do, are you gonna let it ruin you or let it shape you. it's going to do either or. there is no in-between. and James encourages us to consider those things PURE joy because God is going to redeem you on the inside! there is JOY in that! Let those things makes us mature! Persevere because SATURDAY is coming...REDEMPTION is on it's way!
I can't tell you how things exactly got to where they are for me today but I can look back over this last half-year and see how God orchestrated things around me and in me that have truly REDEEMED me and given me HOPE. There is SO MUCH JOY in that. I could not have done it without him and the people around me. Charlie said that the mark of believers, those who claim to follow Christ, is that when the pooh hits the fan ( he didn't say that, i did), we still remain faithful to Him and seek Him. We don't let life's circumstances knock us off track in our pursuit of and partaking in the "upside-down kingdom". I couldn't have remained faithful without the community of those around me...
Jeff, I miss the heck out of you. thank you for being there for me. for crying with me, listening to me, letting me get angry and say things I didn't mean, for loving me, giving me hope and making me laugh. I don't know what I would have done without you there. Jessey, thanks for being there too and letting me steal jeff's time during that time! come home soon!!
Eric, thanks for also being there for me during that time. Quite a time for you to first meet me :) thanks for your love and grace and time to listen to me as well. I'm so glad you're around and that our friendship has grown.
John, thanks for your love for me and for your conversations that have helped me understand God so much more. I love you brother! thanks for all you did and continue to do in my life.
charlie, thanks for your grace and love. for meeting me for breakfast when you didn't even know me and for listening to my heart and my brokenness and for helping me realize that SATURDAY is coming. Thanks for Imago Dei and your leadership there...you have NO idea how good it feels to be a part of a church like what we have going on there. brilliant and beautiful!
small group, thank you guys for your love and your listening ears to me as well over the past 6 months. i love all of you so stinkin' much!
Greg and Ryan, you guys are two of the best guys in all of the land. i'm so glad God brought you two in my life when he did. amazing how God works. i value our conversations so much and i'm so glad we can not only grow together in our spiritual lives but we can have a heck of a good time together too. you two better stay in my life forever, i love you both.
ZuZu, i'm glad you're back in my life too. you have a heart of freakin' gold and I loooove it. you teach me a lot about God's love! and it's nice to have such a like-minded friend. i don't care what people say about your browness, i love you.
Kami, thank you for giving me a chance even while knowing everything. i'm so thankful for you and CAN'T wait to get to know you more and for everyone around me to get to know you more! you are so full of grace and love and gentleness and innocence and joy! you've sparked more hope in me! Thanks for letting me be me and enjoying it!
Rob Bell, don't act like you don't read my blogs! Thanks so much for your books and podcasts! God has used you to encouarge me many many times and have helped me a great deal how I understand the God we serve...and it makes me LOVE him MORE! Thanks for your insight! someday i wanna be you! not in a weird idolatrous kind of way but ya know...insightful, hip, full of love, grace, and peace, and helping people see and understand God in ways that help them love and appreciate him more!
and to my family (most likely you won't be reading this but ya know..props to you anyways) and everyone else thanks so much for all your love and grace!
So, anyone who is reading this and has gone through a crap time or is going though one, KNOW that you can find joy WITHIN you no matter what because REDEMPTION is coming! The situation may not play out like you'd like it to but if you allow God to work in you, He will! The time table may be different for everyone but over time you will be able to look back and see how God worked everything out and you will be able to see what He's done IN you and THROUGH you...
"And we know that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who LOVE him" Romans 8:28
There is JOY in that!
Grace and Peace,
12.03.2008
Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter
I can say that most days I hate my job. The only days I actually enjoy them are when I get to work around people, whether it be the customer that i'm putting a new faucet in for or for another worker who happens to be at the new house i'm working on. Well today was a good day because I got to experience both! And not only that but somehow the same conversation came up twice and now I can't help but tell all you fine folks about it! It's on a topic i've been wrestling with for a couple years now...
As I'm working on Lil Old Lady's toilet (eww, i know) I notice a lot of spiritual decorations around the house so I begin to talk to her about Christianity. Once she realizes that I too am a Christian she proceeds conversing with me in great excitement because "we just need more Christians out there". I agree with her but she continues by saying, "because it really is us (Christians) verse the Terrorists (she also called them Muslims at one point)...Whether it be in my day or not sooner or later we're gonna have to fight all of them off to protect this great country and uphold it's values" Now I know we all have different opinions when it comes to this but you will soon find out mine because...well..let's just say I wanted to throw up.
Can I say that?
I had to bite my tongue so hard and just nod my head as she continued telling me why Christianity was going be the victor over the Terrorists by us wiping them off the face of the planet. Needless to say, I finished fixing her toilet and left, heartbroken, onto my next job....where I met Al the Painter.
Al the Painter is a guy in his late 30's and boy is he a talker. I could barely get any of my work done. I had seen him around on other job sites before but today it was just me and him. We began talking about what we do (outside of our day job) and I find out that Al the Painter is a boxer. A dang good one. And he teaches inner city kids in Peoria how to box. But it's deeper than that because he's a mentor to these kids too. He said it's sad because most of the kids come in wanting to fight so they can beat kids up but he uses this avenue to teach them a better way to live...which is as Al the Painter says, "To LOVE your enemies." Apparently you can be a boxer and still love your enemies, which I find fantastic. He teaches them boxing but teaches them how to live right by loving those around you, even your enemies, and forgiving those who wrong you. Al the Painter is also a Christian.
Is this just a small difference in beliefs? Is this on the same par as "well this Christian just does hymns at their church but that one has a full band at theirs".
How can Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter both claim to be Christians but yet hold such STARK differences on something as big as how to handle our enemies, both on a national level and on a personal level? (Al the Painter does not support war btw I asked him...he said that loving your enemies thing, he feels, applies to our national enemies as well).
I was very encouraged by Al the Painter.
So, what does Jesus say about our enemies? And what does His example tell us?
First off, in Matthew 5:43-48 which is the Sermon on the Mount (Christianity 101) Jesus says,
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (note that the word "perfect" here doesn't mean without blemish it means UNCONDITIONAL)
Pretty self explanatory i'd say...why do we make excuses that as a Christian it's okay to actually kill/hate/slander our national enemies and those who have wronged us in our own personal lives? Are we not to take the words of Jesus serious? or are they just not "realistic"? When Jesus was standing before His enemies (those that were sending him to the Cross to die) Pilate asks him what is it that he had done and he (Jesus) responds, " My kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would FIGHT to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders, but my Kingdom is from another place."
We are called (as Christians, followers of Jesus) to live by the rules of another kingdom. Not when we get to heaven, but NOW. We are called to bring "His kingdom to Earth as it is in Heaven".
I've seen bumper stickers that read "Who Would Jesus BOMB?" These are an attempt to get people to think about the absurdity of that question. Can you really see Jesus flying over a country and unloading bombs over those people below him? Or looking through the scope of a sniper rifle aimed at another human and pulling the trigger? No, absolutely not. Are we not called to Follow THIS example? Now matter how much it may defy common sense? Jesus kingdom is, after all, NOT of this world...it may not makes sense to us (neither does a perfect God taking on human form and dwelled with us only to die for us make any sense but we believe that don't we?)...but it may be the only hope we have to actually make this world a better place.
So what do we do about these pesky terrorists then?
Honestly i don't have answers BUT I have hope...
It starts with a shift in our thinking as Christians. Someone actually told me once that sometimes the best way to love your enemy is to KILL them.
Really?
What happened to Paul's beautiful poem about love in 1 Cor. 13 where he says that "Love does NO HARM". We have to stop thinking like the world and think with the MIND of Christ that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. MAYBE once we start believing that and we actually take Jesus words seriously about LOVING our enemies, then maybe we'd be forced to start using the CREATIVITY that God gave us ( in making US like HIM-In His image) and begin to think of radical non-violent ways in making this world the world God had in mind. After all if we are IN CHRIST, "there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is ALL, and IN ALL" Colossians 3:11 (in today's words that could mean, there is no Christian, Jew, Muslim, Terrorist, Catholic, Homosexual, Untouchable, etc--there is no border to God's love and grace) We have to start seeing people as God sees them! Then maybe we'll start getting somewhere.
This is more than just about loving our national enemies. it's about loving those around you no matter what they've done to you. We deal with this everyday. Someone who said something to you that pissed you off or talked to someone else about you and tainted your character or just rubs you the wrong way when you're around them, someone who may have actually hurt you physically or emotionally, or even spiritually....this is everyday stuff. And we are called to unconditionally love these people. That is the way of Christ. That is the ONLY way this world is going to be the place God dreams it to be. God's given us the tools necessary and it's up to us to use them. May we work together to use them and in our everyday lives may we work to "overcome evil with GOOD" Romans 12:21
Grace and Peace
-Ty
As I'm working on Lil Old Lady's toilet (eww, i know) I notice a lot of spiritual decorations around the house so I begin to talk to her about Christianity. Once she realizes that I too am a Christian she proceeds conversing with me in great excitement because "we just need more Christians out there". I agree with her but she continues by saying, "because it really is us (Christians) verse the Terrorists (she also called them Muslims at one point)...Whether it be in my day or not sooner or later we're gonna have to fight all of them off to protect this great country and uphold it's values" Now I know we all have different opinions when it comes to this but you will soon find out mine because...well..let's just say I wanted to throw up.
Can I say that?
I had to bite my tongue so hard and just nod my head as she continued telling me why Christianity was going be the victor over the Terrorists by us wiping them off the face of the planet. Needless to say, I finished fixing her toilet and left, heartbroken, onto my next job....where I met Al the Painter.
Al the Painter is a guy in his late 30's and boy is he a talker. I could barely get any of my work done. I had seen him around on other job sites before but today it was just me and him. We began talking about what we do (outside of our day job) and I find out that Al the Painter is a boxer. A dang good one. And he teaches inner city kids in Peoria how to box. But it's deeper than that because he's a mentor to these kids too. He said it's sad because most of the kids come in wanting to fight so they can beat kids up but he uses this avenue to teach them a better way to live...which is as Al the Painter says, "To LOVE your enemies." Apparently you can be a boxer and still love your enemies, which I find fantastic. He teaches them boxing but teaches them how to live right by loving those around you, even your enemies, and forgiving those who wrong you. Al the Painter is also a Christian.
Is this just a small difference in beliefs? Is this on the same par as "well this Christian just does hymns at their church but that one has a full band at theirs".
How can Lil Old Lady and Al the Painter both claim to be Christians but yet hold such STARK differences on something as big as how to handle our enemies, both on a national level and on a personal level? (Al the Painter does not support war btw I asked him...he said that loving your enemies thing, he feels, applies to our national enemies as well).
I was very encouraged by Al the Painter.
So, what does Jesus say about our enemies? And what does His example tell us?
First off, in Matthew 5:43-48 which is the Sermon on the Mount (Christianity 101) Jesus says,
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (note that the word "perfect" here doesn't mean without blemish it means UNCONDITIONAL)
Pretty self explanatory i'd say...why do we make excuses that as a Christian it's okay to actually kill/hate/slander our national enemies and those who have wronged us in our own personal lives? Are we not to take the words of Jesus serious? or are they just not "realistic"? When Jesus was standing before His enemies (those that were sending him to the Cross to die) Pilate asks him what is it that he had done and he (Jesus) responds, " My kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would FIGHT to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders, but my Kingdom is from another place."
We are called (as Christians, followers of Jesus) to live by the rules of another kingdom. Not when we get to heaven, but NOW. We are called to bring "His kingdom to Earth as it is in Heaven".
I've seen bumper stickers that read "Who Would Jesus BOMB?" These are an attempt to get people to think about the absurdity of that question. Can you really see Jesus flying over a country and unloading bombs over those people below him? Or looking through the scope of a sniper rifle aimed at another human and pulling the trigger? No, absolutely not. Are we not called to Follow THIS example? Now matter how much it may defy common sense? Jesus kingdom is, after all, NOT of this world...it may not makes sense to us (neither does a perfect God taking on human form and dwelled with us only to die for us make any sense but we believe that don't we?)...but it may be the only hope we have to actually make this world a better place.
So what do we do about these pesky terrorists then?
Honestly i don't have answers BUT I have hope...
It starts with a shift in our thinking as Christians. Someone actually told me once that sometimes the best way to love your enemy is to KILL them.
Really?
What happened to Paul's beautiful poem about love in 1 Cor. 13 where he says that "Love does NO HARM". We have to stop thinking like the world and think with the MIND of Christ that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. MAYBE once we start believing that and we actually take Jesus words seriously about LOVING our enemies, then maybe we'd be forced to start using the CREATIVITY that God gave us ( in making US like HIM-In His image) and begin to think of radical non-violent ways in making this world the world God had in mind. After all if we are IN CHRIST, "there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is ALL, and IN ALL" Colossians 3:11 (in today's words that could mean, there is no Christian, Jew, Muslim, Terrorist, Catholic, Homosexual, Untouchable, etc--there is no border to God's love and grace) We have to start seeing people as God sees them! Then maybe we'll start getting somewhere.
This is more than just about loving our national enemies. it's about loving those around you no matter what they've done to you. We deal with this everyday. Someone who said something to you that pissed you off or talked to someone else about you and tainted your character or just rubs you the wrong way when you're around them, someone who may have actually hurt you physically or emotionally, or even spiritually....this is everyday stuff. And we are called to unconditionally love these people. That is the way of Christ. That is the ONLY way this world is going to be the place God dreams it to be. God's given us the tools necessary and it's up to us to use them. May we work together to use them and in our everyday lives may we work to "overcome evil with GOOD" Romans 12:21
Grace and Peace
-Ty
10.21.2008
Do "this" in remembrance of me
Jesus says this at Passover referring to his body and blood. In Rob Bell's new book Jesus Wants to Save Christians (yes, read it) he suggests that the "this" refers more to his lifestyle and example he gave us then actually the breaking of bread (communion/eucharist/mass/whatever you want to call it). His "broken" body (the bread) reminds us to live in humility, to live out of our brokenness to serve others, following the example he gave in all he did. The blood of Christ (wine) reminds us that our sins have been taken care of for good and so has everyone else's so live without boundaries and accept EVERYONE, love everyone as Christ did (your enemies, your family, friends, people that have wronged you. people that you've wronged, people different from you, people from other religious groups, social status, people with different political ideas, theological ideas) and give yourself, your BLOOD sweat and tears for the cause of the kingdom. Do "this" in remembrance of Him. Then the world would look much different...it becomes more than a ritual...it becomes a way of LIFE. so may we REMEMBER Jesus daily by following his example. Yes, take the wine, eat the bread but when doing so remember what matters...live HIS lifestyle and do THAT in remembrance of Him.
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
Grace and Peace,
-Ty
8.27.2008
The FloBot Revolution...
"But if you feel like I feel like about the son of man ...We will overcome"
Recently I've been listening to the Flobot's CD and it's amazing! It has become an anthem for me right now, fueling within me a revolution of HOPE that I so desperately need! The songs are very political and social and full of meaning and pack quite a punch to the USA and what our country has done in the past and what we are becoming now. The fact that one of their hit songs "Handlebars" is on the radio is enough to give you goosebumps if you actually listen to what the song is saying. It just goes to show that there is hope that if people listen hard enough, want it badly enough, they can find and be a part of an underground insurgency for change. Much like in Jesus day when His message was being ridiculed and threatened by the religious establishment, You won't find it in many churches today and the few that have are only beginning to scratch the surface, but the revolution in all it's glory is happening behind the scenes, deep within our souls, within little communities of people in cities in states all across the country and world. If you want it badly enough you can find it and be a part of it.
These feelings of dreaming, of not giving up, not being satisfied with the status quo, wanting more, desiring change, are all coming back to me and I LOVE it! The question is will you be a part of it? Will you give into the status quo? Or will you stand up and make a statement by how you live your life, how you act, what you believe, how you treat people and talk to people, how you care about the earth, how you vote or don't vote, etc? Are you willing to go against what your family, friends, country, dare I say church, tells you is "good" or "true"? And will you follow the steps of Jesus, forgoing any common sense and resisting natural inclinations, to do what it takes to understand how He tells us to live? I mean, this is the one man who if taken seriously can actually make a difference in the world around us! Oh, and even better He actually lives within all those who claim to follow Him making it even more possible to make change! We can do this! We can bring heaven to earth! There can be PEACE, there can be FOOD for the POOR, we can END RACISM, we can FORGIVE our OPPRESSORS, we can LOVE our ENEMIES, show GRACE to the BROKEN, bring HEALING to hurting SOULS, and it can all happen now...if we believe it.
Life and all its CRAP has robbed me of this REALITY for too long and I am not going to let anything get in the way of DREAMING of seeing God's Kingdom being brought to EARTH. I will overcome. I will not be moved.
"...We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
Except by a woman dying from the loss of food
Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you
We shall not be moved
Except by a system thats rotten through
Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot
High treason now we need to prosecute
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
And we wont fight a war for fossil fuel
Its times like this that you want to plot a coo
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you..."
Recently I've been listening to the Flobot's CD and it's amazing! It has become an anthem for me right now, fueling within me a revolution of HOPE that I so desperately need! The songs are very political and social and full of meaning and pack quite a punch to the USA and what our country has done in the past and what we are becoming now. The fact that one of their hit songs "Handlebars" is on the radio is enough to give you goosebumps if you actually listen to what the song is saying. It just goes to show that there is hope that if people listen hard enough, want it badly enough, they can find and be a part of an underground insurgency for change. Much like in Jesus day when His message was being ridiculed and threatened by the religious establishment, You won't find it in many churches today and the few that have are only beginning to scratch the surface, but the revolution in all it's glory is happening behind the scenes, deep within our souls, within little communities of people in cities in states all across the country and world. If you want it badly enough you can find it and be a part of it.
These feelings of dreaming, of not giving up, not being satisfied with the status quo, wanting more, desiring change, are all coming back to me and I LOVE it! The question is will you be a part of it? Will you give into the status quo? Or will you stand up and make a statement by how you live your life, how you act, what you believe, how you treat people and talk to people, how you care about the earth, how you vote or don't vote, etc? Are you willing to go against what your family, friends, country, dare I say church, tells you is "good" or "true"? And will you follow the steps of Jesus, forgoing any common sense and resisting natural inclinations, to do what it takes to understand how He tells us to live? I mean, this is the one man who if taken seriously can actually make a difference in the world around us! Oh, and even better He actually lives within all those who claim to follow Him making it even more possible to make change! We can do this! We can bring heaven to earth! There can be PEACE, there can be FOOD for the POOR, we can END RACISM, we can FORGIVE our OPPRESSORS, we can LOVE our ENEMIES, show GRACE to the BROKEN, bring HEALING to hurting SOULS, and it can all happen now...if we believe it.
Life and all its CRAP has robbed me of this REALITY for too long and I am not going to let anything get in the way of DREAMING of seeing God's Kingdom being brought to EARTH. I will overcome. I will not be moved.
"...We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
Except by a woman dying from the loss of food
Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you
We shall not be moved
Except by a system thats rotten through
Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot
High treason now we need to prosecute
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
And we wont fight a war for fossil fuel
Its times like this that you want to plot a coo
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you..."
10.14.2006
The light of all men
So, i can't stop thinking about this verse:
"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him ALL things were made; without Him NOTHING was made that has been made. In Him was LIFE, that that life was the LIGHT of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not yet overcome it." John 1:1-5
Now as if that first part isn't overwhelming on it's own (Jesus was with God since the beginning?!?!?) the second part of that verse has really challenged me and it keeps coming up.
Through Him ALL things were made and NOTHING has been made without Him. So i think about this and i can't help but think about people that don't know their creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Accept...they DO. It's all around them, it's who they are, it's where they go, who they interact with and what the see. I mean it's kind of ridiculious when you real ly think about it. How come I never bring this up...i'm always thinking about how they (nonbelievers) have no idea who God is and have no interaction with Him but really they do EVERYDAY, everytime they breathe.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE MADE AWARE. Shown that it's not like they don't know who God is...
Paul does this in Athens (Acts 17:22-28)
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as i walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, i even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are ignorant of THE VERY THING YOU WORSHIP--AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PROCLAIM TO YOU. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He himself GIVES EVERYONE LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE....GOD DID THIS SO THAT THEY MAY SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM ANY ONE OF US. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING."
i absolutely love this! i wish i could continually be reminded of this daily. Not only do we live in a world drenched with God and His glory but so does EVERYONE else.
John says about Jesus in verse 4 of Chapter 1 "that life (Jesus) is the light of all people"
I think you can read this in two ways. First, and plainly, that Jesus is the light of all people. We must turn to Him to be our guide to eluding darkness. OR that the light of all people is Jesus. Now that may sound the same to you but think about it as if I were to do something good like give to the poor, is that not the light of Jesus coming from me? if someone who didn't know Christ gave to the poor, is that too not the light of Jesus coming from them? all good is of Him right? all truth, biblical or not, is Him. right? i think so... how profound!!??!!
i was talking with my buddy Gabe, i love you Gabe, about this last night and he was telling me his roommate who doesn't "know" God has been saying and doing some rather "Godly" things. like offering a listening ear to a neighbor who is struggling with a drug problem. Is that not the mercy and compassion of God coming out of his roommate?!? i think so!
May we challenge each other to be reminded of this. if we could wrap our minds around this, if i could, it would change the way i talk to others about Christ and how i show Him to them.
What do YOU think??
oh gracious father, may Christ, WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, continue to come out of us and make us AWARE of all the opportunities to point you out to those who need you! Remind us that you are ALL and IN ALL!! may we seek your face and speak nothing but Jesus! LET IT BE!!
"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him ALL things were made; without Him NOTHING was made that has been made. In Him was LIFE, that that life was the LIGHT of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not yet overcome it." John 1:1-5
Now as if that first part isn't overwhelming on it's own (Jesus was with God since the beginning?!?!?) the second part of that verse has really challenged me and it keeps coming up.
Through Him ALL things were made and NOTHING has been made without Him. So i think about this and i can't help but think about people that don't know their creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Accept...they DO. It's all around them, it's who they are, it's where they go, who they interact with and what the see. I mean it's kind of ridiculious when you real ly think about it. How come I never bring this up...i'm always thinking about how they (nonbelievers) have no idea who God is and have no interaction with Him but really they do EVERYDAY, everytime they breathe.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE MADE AWARE. Shown that it's not like they don't know who God is...
Paul does this in Athens (Acts 17:22-28)
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as i walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, i even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are ignorant of THE VERY THING YOU WORSHIP--AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PROCLAIM TO YOU. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He himself GIVES EVERYONE LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE....GOD DID THIS SO THAT THEY MAY SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM ANY ONE OF US. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING."
i absolutely love this! i wish i could continually be reminded of this daily. Not only do we live in a world drenched with God and His glory but so does EVERYONE else.
John says about Jesus in verse 4 of Chapter 1 "that life (Jesus) is the light of all people"
I think you can read this in two ways. First, and plainly, that Jesus is the light of all people. We must turn to Him to be our guide to eluding darkness. OR that the light of all people is Jesus. Now that may sound the same to you but think about it as if I were to do something good like give to the poor, is that not the light of Jesus coming from me? if someone who didn't know Christ gave to the poor, is that too not the light of Jesus coming from them? all good is of Him right? all truth, biblical or not, is Him. right? i think so... how profound!!??!!
i was talking with my buddy Gabe, i love you Gabe, about this last night and he was telling me his roommate who doesn't "know" God has been saying and doing some rather "Godly" things. like offering a listening ear to a neighbor who is struggling with a drug problem. Is that not the mercy and compassion of God coming out of his roommate?!? i think so!
May we challenge each other to be reminded of this. if we could wrap our minds around this, if i could, it would change the way i talk to others about Christ and how i show Him to them.
What do YOU think??
oh gracious father, may Christ, WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, continue to come out of us and make us AWARE of all the opportunities to point you out to those who need you! Remind us that you are ALL and IN ALL!! may we seek your face and speak nothing but Jesus! LET IT BE!!
10.08.2006
Missional
I recently listened to a guy by the name of Mike Frost talk about church. He is an Australian guy and had some very good things to say, i highly recommend trying to find some things of his to listen to. Anyway he was talking about God being a MISSIONAL God. He believes that God has been and always will be a missional God--all about SENDING.
so i checked out what the oxford american dictionary had to say about this word and the origin of the word mission comes from the mid 16th century denoting the SENDING of the Holy Spirt into the world.
So if you read Scripture you'll find that from Genesis through Revelations you'll find God CONSTANTLY SENDING people out to do "mission". Which was essentially to proclaim His glory and bring others to Him. The most popular verse that most all Christians know is Matthew 28:19-20 which is the great coMISSION. In this verse Jesus says to his disciples
"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore GO OUT and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything i have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like my buddy Mike Frost, i began to wonder what the heck we are doing by doing everyhing in power to get people to COME into church. BRING your coworkers TO church, BRING your family TO church, BRING your friends TO church.
we have recreated the Old Testament temple experience...where God was only found in the temple. Now, you'd never probably hear a pastor say that exactly but THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TEACHING by our programs , by our messages, by our large buildings, our flashly lights, our best music, our comfy chairs, our finest clothes, and whatever else. We have this feeling that if we aren't bringing people to church or we aren't involved in some type of "ministry" within the church than we aren't doing anything.
i think that if Jesus were to come to your church, HE'D MAKE A HORRIBLE MEMBER. He would never be there!! He would be out with people that desperatly need him! he wouldn't be at all the classes, the small groups, the worship practices, the board meetings. He'd be GOING OUT into the world because he knows that
DOING CHURCH ISN'T THE POINT
The point is following Him and being like Him by loving Him and surrendering all we are to Him.
He had his 12 friends that were with Him all the time, but most of the time they were OUT doing something or GOING somwhere else to teach and proclaim the Good News.
I need people around me to encourage me and build me up, whether that be once a week, twice a week, whatever and WHEREVER. Because i know that isn't the point, it's great and i need it but the point is for me to be with those at school, at One World, at Eli's, wherever that's OUT in the world.
So where did we go wrong? I mean some of you probably don't think we've gone wrong...but are we not going against the character of God by "doing" church the way we are now. Maybe we should start by NOT "doing" church and start LIVING. Scrap all the programs and everything.
And do what? i don't know...i am confused now more than ever. But my relationship with God is better than ever because i'm having to THINK and WRESTLE with the Scriptures and who Jesus was so i can be more like him. thankfully i've found others who are on this same journey and if you're reading this and you've never understood either or maybe you never even thought about it than you're not alone!
What do all of you think? Think with me i want to know your thoughts!!
so i checked out what the oxford american dictionary had to say about this word and the origin of the word mission comes from the mid 16th century denoting the SENDING of the Holy Spirt into the world.
So if you read Scripture you'll find that from Genesis through Revelations you'll find God CONSTANTLY SENDING people out to do "mission". Which was essentially to proclaim His glory and bring others to Him. The most popular verse that most all Christians know is Matthew 28:19-20 which is the great coMISSION. In this verse Jesus says to his disciples
"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore GO OUT and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything i have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like my buddy Mike Frost, i began to wonder what the heck we are doing by doing everyhing in power to get people to COME into church. BRING your coworkers TO church, BRING your family TO church, BRING your friends TO church.
we have recreated the Old Testament temple experience...where God was only found in the temple. Now, you'd never probably hear a pastor say that exactly but THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TEACHING by our programs , by our messages, by our large buildings, our flashly lights, our best music, our comfy chairs, our finest clothes, and whatever else. We have this feeling that if we aren't bringing people to church or we aren't involved in some type of "ministry" within the church than we aren't doing anything.
i think that if Jesus were to come to your church, HE'D MAKE A HORRIBLE MEMBER. He would never be there!! He would be out with people that desperatly need him! he wouldn't be at all the classes, the small groups, the worship practices, the board meetings. He'd be GOING OUT into the world because he knows that
DOING CHURCH ISN'T THE POINT
The point is following Him and being like Him by loving Him and surrendering all we are to Him.
He had his 12 friends that were with Him all the time, but most of the time they were OUT doing something or GOING somwhere else to teach and proclaim the Good News.
I need people around me to encourage me and build me up, whether that be once a week, twice a week, whatever and WHEREVER. Because i know that isn't the point, it's great and i need it but the point is for me to be with those at school, at One World, at Eli's, wherever that's OUT in the world.
So where did we go wrong? I mean some of you probably don't think we've gone wrong...but are we not going against the character of God by "doing" church the way we are now. Maybe we should start by NOT "doing" church and start LIVING. Scrap all the programs and everything.
And do what? i don't know...i am confused now more than ever. But my relationship with God is better than ever because i'm having to THINK and WRESTLE with the Scriptures and who Jesus was so i can be more like him. thankfully i've found others who are on this same journey and if you're reading this and you've never understood either or maybe you never even thought about it than you're not alone!
What do all of you think? Think with me i want to know your thoughts!!
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