Diversity and Community

I attended the world premiere of Tales from the Salt City. Thanks to Syracuse.com for the picture Here's what Syracuse Stage had to say about the production:

Tales From the Salt City
Conceived and directed by Ping Chong October 14 – November 2
World Premiere
A powerful exploration of the changing face of Syracuse
through an interview-based theatre work, Don't Look Back
presents the first hand narratives of citizens of Syracuse—both
recent arrivals and long-standing residents—who are in some
way living outside the dominant culture. Created by theatrical
innovator Ping Chong and constructed as a chamber piece of
storytelling, the performance features real people telling their
personal experiences of creating cultural identity out of rich
and complex histories. Ping Chong continues the compelling
work he has done throughout the United States exploring the
divergent lives that make up our communities. These stories
will carry us around the globe and bring us home with a
more complete understanding of how the world out there
is the world right here.

It was really very good. It's about how each of us bring our past and culture to where we are now and it forms us and gives us a framework for social interaction. From a missions perspective, we are missing the boat. We have not done a good job understanding the mix of culture and "old world community" that these people have. Here's a short list of who's who in the play. Some of these people have been here for a long time and some haven't. But if we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we forgot some people groups: Hispanics, Latinos, Blacks, Cambodians, Eastern Europeans, and First Nation People. in all of their cultures there is an element that leads into the goodness of the gospel. In these seven individuals, there is an event that Jesus can heal their wounds and calm their life storms. The other underlying theme is the lack of good community in Syracuse. In some way they each expressed a loss for the community they had before and didn't find in Syracuse. It's a report card on Syracuse, we failed.
I'm no Ping Chong, but I'd like to rewrite the play to have seven martyrs/prisoners (Jesus freaks) and then take it to churches for missions education and motivation.

October is Persecuted Church Month

I came across a number of items of importance that you should know about:

October if Clergy Appreciation month. Hit the jump to find out more.

October is also Persecuted Church month. It is a time to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. We need to pray for them. Find out more at Voice of the Martyrs. Teens need to know that Christians around the world face death and imprisonment for their faith. Check out the Underground Reality inside Vietnam. DC talk is still going strong at JesusFreaks.net. They've got a great interactive map right on the home page to see what's going on around the world.

Anti-blasphemy resolution impact brought to forefront

(Photos by Reuters/Eric Thayer)

International (MNN) ― The United Nations Anti-Blasphemy resolution is drawing the ire of mission groups.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors explains that in application, "This anti-blasphemy resolution is mostly seen to be putting a 'chilling effect' on Christian work and outreach around the world, and that is a very troubling development for us."

Free speech advocates say the non-binding resolution is being used to intimidate believers and spread Sharia law. Adopted in 2007, Resolution 62/145 reads in part: It "notes with deep concern the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of 11 September 2001."

Despite the good intentions, Moeller says, "The reality is that wherever Christianity and Islam come into relationship with each other in the culture, the net effect has been for Christian evangelism to be silenced or to be intimidated through this act."

Though it has little teeth in law, the act has been reviewed and passed more than once. That gives it some kind of authority and often emboldens militant Islamists to use it as a club against Christians.

In effect, it is a shield for the fundamentalists who retaliate against perceived offenses. Moeller says the resolution passes under the guise of protecting religion, but it actually endangers religious minorities in Islamic countries.

That's why he's urging prayer. "The slope is so slippery because everything that purports to criticize Islam is considered 'blasphemy.' Anything that promotes another religious viewpoint, like Christianity, is considered 'blasphemy.' It really becomes the ultimate weapon against free religious speech around the world."

Open Doors is raising awareness, Moeller adds, because "people need to get involved with organizations that are standing up to draw attention to the anti-blasphemy laws...to make true religious freedom a hallmark of international religious liberty and not a sham of anti-blasphemy laws that the UN is passing."

If you're in New York or Pennsylvania this is for you (My apologies, if you're else where, it may be to far.):
Pastors' Conference with James MacDonald On October 28th.

Family Life invites you to attend a one-day Pastor’s conference with Dr. James MacDonald (Lunch will be served). The event is free and will be held at The Family Life Center in Bath, NY. Check-in begins at 8:30 am and the conference starts at 9:00 am. Registration is necessary. Please call 607-776-4151 or 800-927-9083 during regular business hours to pre-register for the event.

This years conference we are excited that the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC has offered a give away package for a Pastor and spouse to either the 2009 Pastor's Institute or Leadership Institute (dates TBD). The package would include one night's lodging as well as meals and materials.

An Evangelical Indictment

Pretty harsh words to swallow, but I think we deserve them. Here's the findings of a recent Pew Foundation Survey of beliefs in America.
We've really messed up. A generation has lost sight of the harbor because we didn't keep the light on in the lighthouse.
A lighthouse has to have absolutely clean glass, the lenses were cleaned everyday, and they weren't just ordinary pieces of glass. At the time of manned lighthouses, the light used a Fresnel lens. They focused the light and intensified the beam to cut through the night and storms to show the way to the safe harbor.

I think some hard questions need to be answered:
Am I willing to take responsibility for my failure to keep the light on?
Am I going to re-trim the light, and clean the glass?
We have a generation that has already begun to sink and we need to get in the water to get them out, are we prepared?
Who will take over the light house when we are gone? The church is never more than one generation from extinction, and now more so than ever.
Do I know the truth of the Bible? Have I compromised it in my teaching or beliefs?

The clarion call of alarm has sounded, how do we respond?
(this is the reader participation part: comments.)

Special thanks to my friend at the court house who smuggled me and the camera into the empty court room for photos.

Train for Battle

Psalm 144:1
Praise be to the LORD my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.

When I first stumbled across this verse, I thought, "Wow, cool verse!" Then I began to think more about it, and then I wondered what translation they had used, this is the NIV for those that like to keep track. I wanted to be sure that I had a solid translation, so I could understand it, and the context, why would David write it?

Are we trained? Have we allowed to God to train us? How do we do battle? How do we fight? We fight not with physical swords and shields (lots of fun to play with sharp pointy objects, check out the nearest Renaissance Faire), but we wrestle with powers and principalities that we cannot see.

It is a spiritual fight. Actually its easier than we think, but it's the toughest thing we'll ever do:

• It's easier than we think because the battle's already been won. The penalty has been paid by Jesus on the cross.
• It's the toughest thing we'll ever do, because we are so easily fooled into complacency by the enemy, lured into compliance with sin by our old nature.

What's this contrast, then and how does letting God train our fingers for battle? For me it is the gift of a sharp technical mind combined with a gift of writing (not world class like Solzhenitsyn), but hopefully improving. One of the things I set out to do about a year ago was to write a story for our daughter explaining the deeper truths of being a child of God. She is a full heir to the kingdom, because she has accepted Jesus as Savior. What the project became was a story, Princess Afeicta is Named an Heir, a renaissance princess (her alter-ego) is named an heir to the kingdom, even though she is a daughter. I've posted it to WordPress so you can access it, personalize it and print it out to read to your daughter(s).

What's your fingers trained to do?

The Ripple Effect

The world focus has been on the Middle East. The rippling has gone out from there. Turkey, India, Tibet, Lebanon, Algeria, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Papua New Guinea have been in recent mission headlines. It is interesting to note that most of these countries are in or touch the 10-40 window.
The clash between major world cultures, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism seems to have increased. As we have our men in harm's way to build a democracy in the middle east, there are many that would like to crush the freedom. I'm treading on dangerous ground, politics and religion, so bear with me:

God's Spirit is on the move, He will bring people from every tribe, every nation, every tongue into His kingdom and when we sit paralyzed at the thought of danger, God's plan keeps going without us.

Matthew 28:18-20 The Great Commission

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The command is go, through out the history of the world God has used those who went, despite the circumstances, the finances, the dangers, the sacrifices. Those that went wholeheartedly, sacrificially, determined, and called by God -- those He has raised up, and blessed them, through generations. Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Brother Andrew, Jim and Roni Bowers, these are people who made a difference in the world and their children, their disciples children have been blessed by the sacrifice.
The announcers on the Christian radio station were having fun, seeing who was related to famous people. To be part of the legacy is exciting, but how much greater is it, when we leave a legacy for our children, and their children. Yes, I am blessed to be related to Roger Williams and all that he stood for in his day and all that he did, he was a righteous man, but how much greater is the legacy that my daughters will take from me and give to their children.
I had a long conversation with a ministry friend, he asked a lot of tough questions about ministry. We need to have passion, calling and desire to stir up those around us, to make waves, to further the kingdom. We should be making waves in our world, that go out to those around us, they will see that we live what we believe, we trust in a God that we can not see, but we know

Are you floating in the ripples or are you making waves?

Evangelical Fundalmental Speech Code or Plain English

When we speak, what are we really communicating?

Do we speak with simple words, words that anyone in our culture would understand? Do we speak in riddles for our highly religious speech?

I myself am guilty of this high religious speech. Lately I've tried to drop it completely out of my vocabulary, unless I'm visiting a local seminary (there aren't any nearby). Ask yourself, "Can I explain the gospel without any church words?"

I've heard altar calls, like "Come now, and make the Lord your Lord and Saviour, so He can live in your heart and be with you always."
Would "If you want to know more about this Jesus, or you want to make a commitment to follow Jesus' teaching, come down here to the front. We have people here ready to talk with you more about this commitment."
How do I talk to people with no religious background? It's very natural to let your relationship with Jesus be center stage, if your living it as in His strength. I've found that in recent weeks, I've been able to share with a few co-workers what I do outside of work and some of the ministry that I do at church. There's a level of respect, when the conversation is not forced, but allowed to bubble up like a spring of water. We are all springs of water for Jesus, some of us need a little cleaning up, so the water is fresh, cool and inviting.

Is your spring a fresh cool drink to the world?

Maybe this video will help. Technobabble at its finest!

Here's the link: TechnoBabble

God's Goals or Safe Goals?

I recently stumbled upon a missions project to raise some funds for a special item. The item had no specific price tag, but would fund various ministries. The goal was x-amount of dollars. I thought, well that shouldn't be too hard. When my wife and I looked at it together, we both thought something new-- this was a typo. They had left off a zero.
They hadn't. They had a nice little safe goal. I'm not saying that it wasn't bathed in prayer, but it was certainly obtainable. God didn't even need to roll up a sleeve, or break a sweat, to accomplish this one.
We're in the process of converting our office to a nursery, out with the office, and in with the pink baby stuff. I stumbled on a treasure cache of stuff, lot's of trash, lot's of recycling and dust behind the bookcases (who would think you have to remove books and dust behind them). I came across a missions magazine which had an article from a pastor. Small church, average attendance 200, missions-hearted. They heard of a need for a Missionary hospital in Africa. They began to raise money and within a year, they had $50,000. They didn't want to hold on to the money, but get it there for the missions work, so they sent it and during the process found out the total cost was $100,000. They decided they would raise the rest. Within the next year, they did it -- God did it. God flexed His muscle and through His people He gets the glory.
God raised the $100,000 through His people, for His work. The church's regular giving and tithing never dropped off, they paid all their bills all the way through.

Do we pick safe goals, that we can obtain, God doesn't need to be bothered with this? Or do we let God direct what the goal should be, so that He can roll up His sleeves and flex His might, so that He gets all the glory for what was accomplished.

I get goosebumps when God starts flexing His muscles.

Community Impact Week with Ron Hutchcraft

Community Impact Week with Ron Hutchcraft

This is was gets me excited. Events that are making an impact in the local community. It's communicating Jesus in a simple, true to life way where people can discover they are lost without feeling set up:

• It's a cup of coffee at your local coffee shop with an unsaved friend.
• It's a friend to friend chat about life.
• It's a class that invites people to explore.
  

Rehoboth Congregational Church

Rehoboth Congregational Church

Rehoboth Youth Are "Homeless" on Redway Plain

Cardboard boxes, burning fires and weary people will be dotting Redway Plain in the heart of Rehoboth during the weekend of November 9-11^th. If you’re thinking, "That’s a sign of homeless people," you’re right. That’s exactly the picture the organizers of Rehoboth’s first Homelessness Awareness Weekend want to paint.

This curious sight will be part of "There’s No Place Like A Home", a project organized by the members of the Rehoboth Youth Group, which is sponsored by the Rehoboth Congregational Church. The intent of the three-day event is to increase community awareness about the on-going crisis of homelessness in America and to raise money to assist local aid programs such as the Rehoboth Food Pantry, Crossroads in Providence, Our Daily Bread in Taunton, and other food pantries and soup kitchens in our area.

Inspiration for the project came from a week-long mission trip to Washington, DC undertaken by twenty members of the Rehoboth Youth Group. During the trip, the teens worked hand-in-hand with members of the homeless community in shelters, soup kitchens and community outreach programs throughout the city. They learned unforgettable lessons about the true causes and effects of the plight of homelessness. After the experiences and education of the trip, the teens returned home eager to find ways to do more to help others in their own community.

This is a great short terms missions project that any church can do. The impact on the youth can be life changing and the impact that it has on the homeless can change generations of families.

Recently I've begun to see with spiritual eyes what God can do with one, that changes the generations following. How one person has shifted the course of history for their family...

....Perhaps they refused God's call to service and that has reached down through their family to their children and the grandchildren. The grandchildren have scattered and their lives are indiscernible from the world. Another family has been effectively neutralized in the spiritual battle.

....Perhaps they responded to the call of God and abandoned everything to serve. Their legacy lives on in their children and the people they ministered to. Missionary parents raise missionary children and missionary children raise missionary grand kids.

I once heard it said that Dr. James Dobson was the blacksheep of the family. He was the only son who was not a pastor. There are millions who look to Dr. Dobson as a pastor for their family.

What's your legacy?

Are you intentionally shepherding your heritage, or is it all about you?