City Community

One thing that defines Los Angeles is the freeways. People commute miles upon miles to and from work, social activities and even church. But our freeway culture has a lot of negative consequences. First it’s harmful to our environment. Thomas Friedman in his book, “Hot, Flat and Crowded” says its like every few miles you roll down your window and throw a big bag of garbage onto the freeway. That’s what you’re doing to the environment when you drive. But secondly our freeway culture makes us increasingly disconnected. We’re disconnected from our home because we’re rarely there. We’re disconnected from other people because we hardly see them. This commuter culture makes genuine community very difficult.

One of the great visions for our ministry is to have a church where people can live, work and worship in the same geographical location. By living this vision you would simultaneously 1) gain more time from not commuting 2) do your part for the environment 3) make inroads to forming a genuine community with people you live, work and worship with. When our ministry started out this seemed like a distant reality. Even though many people worked downtown, very few people would even consider moving downtown because of its crime or lack of amenities. But in the last couple years we’ve seen a great number of people moving downtown. Currently downtown is the primary place where people in our ministry live and more and more people are considering moving. Now more than ever we can start to glimpse what a really deep, local and intimate community can look like. Can you imagine needing help or counsel and just knocking on the next door?

The next step I guess would be people selling their cars and donating it for kingdom work! If Downtown got zip cars or pay-per-drive cars I think this could be a reality in the not too distant future. But in the meantime there’s still so much work to do to make Downtown a truly beautiful community for all people. Now that we have people downtown it’s time we start deepening our community to be all that God envisions for us.

The picture above is by Tony and has a city growing into a tree. It was done for our anniversary service a couple year’s ago. Here’s to making that picture a reality.

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Los Angeles: the Racially Divided City

When you think about Los Angeles it’s astoundingly divided among racial lines. The city can almost be defined along racial boundaries. There is South Los Angeles which is historically black. There is East Los Angeles which is primarily hispanic. There is West Los Angeles which is largely white and Jewish. Within miles the city has a multitude of ethnic enclaves as Koreatown, Little Armenia, Little Tokyo, and Filipinotown. But beyond the diversity lies a history of racial tension and division.

One of the great wake-up calls for racial tension was the race riots in 1992 after the acquittal of the police officers responsible for the assault on Rodney King. Estimates of damages range from 800 million to a billion dollars. Many of the Korean American stores were targeted during the riots. The riots brought national attention to the tangled racial tensions in Los Angeles.

But 17 years later not a lot of dialogue and reconcilliation has happened. There continues to be tension amongst Hispanics and African Americans in the growing turf wars in what was once predominately black areas. Korean-American have largely left South Los Angeles but continue to hire many Hispanic workers for their businesses. Meanwhile people in the upper-middle class have fled to the suburbs which although is in some sense ethnically diverse, are often economically homogenous.

One of the questions that I continually ask myself is, “What is the churches role in bringing racial reconciliation?” When you think about the four main ethnicities that are entangled: (African American, Hispanic, Korean-American and White) they are all parts of communities that are heavily faith-based. Shouldn’t the church model racial reconcilliation both within the church and between churches? What would that look like? What community projects could be done between churches seeking to bring needed peace?

Wouldn’t it be an epic testimony for the church, the Bride of Christ, to show an unbelieving world the peace that faith can bring?

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

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Economic Depression and Spiritual Revival

These are some very dark economic times. We’re hearing a lot of news even in our congregation of layoffs and the lack of job security. These seasons teach us that we can’t find security in anything under the sun. Jesus talks about not storing our treasures where moth and rust destroy and thieves steal. We need to place our treasures in places immune to the ups and downs of market forces, the corruption of Wall Street and the greed of institutions.

However gloomy these times are I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to minister to people. It seems that only when things are tough are people willing to take a hard look inside and take a serious look above them. One of my favorite quotes come from G.K. Chesterton who writes, ”One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.” Only in the deepest of valleys can we see the greatness of God. Only when everything around us totters can we understand that God is a rock and fortress.

So as markets decline can we suggest that our spirits can strengthen? These dark days are opportunities for people (myself included!) to experience glory.

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Drinks on Me! Alcohol, Prohibition and the Soulful Life

I grew up thinking that drinking alcohol was like drinking Satan juice. It was just bad the church told me. I can see that they had a point. My father would often drink a bit too much and tell me the same rambling stories of coming to America. What possible good can alcohol bring? But during my post-college years I was turned on to the abuse of legalism and the freedom of Christian living. Let the drinks flow! But with this “freedom” comes inevitable excess.

G.K. Chesteron once said that the drunk and the abstainer are both mistaken, they both regard alcohol as a drug and not as a drink. I think this really hits the nail on the head. Alcohol functions as drink and not drug. It’s wonderful as something that enhances our tastes and moods but destructive when it leads to drunkenness and dependency. Most of sin is not about outright evil but taking a good thing and abusing it. Both liberal and legalist miss the point of this drink.

Jesus puts alcohol in perspective. He CREATES alcohol as his first miracle in the gospel of John. Clearly Jesus is no prohibitionist.

He does it in the context of celebration. Alcohol can be used rightly in the context of community and especially celebration. But with all these things lies moderation and self-control which Paul summarizes by saying, “Do not be drunk on wine but be filled with the Spirit.” Alcoholic spirits should mesh with the Holy Spirit.

But finally Jesus uses alcohol as metaphor to explain the coming of His kingdom. Some whiskey can pack a punch but good wine can be divine. The flavor and beauty of wine can lead us to some transcendent moments. It’s but a faint hint on the beauty and joy that awaits God’s people when they have Christ as their King.

I’m in favor of a soulful life. A life filled with seeing all of life in it’s beauty and brilliance. A life that doesn’t need excess to truly experience. A life that sees good things in its rightful place under the reign of God. Maybe when Christians live more soulfully we’ll be more attractive to a soulless world.

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Communion: A Feast in a Fast Food World

At City Light we’ve recently been celebrating the Lord’s Supper every other week. When you look at the early church, communion was regularly celebrated. But often communion today seems like an afterthought. It has become an archaic practice with little meaning to the modern believer.

We live in a fast food culture. We want things to taste good, be cheap and not take a lot of time. But the problem with this fast food culture is that it leaves us nutritionally deprived. This seeps into our church culture as well. We want our church to have a great service, a rocking praise band and an entertaining speaker. It needs to be fast (who can stand a long boring sermon!), fast-paced and carry with it very little commitment to anything other than Sunday attendence. But this as well will leave us spiritually deprived.

Communion, when properly practiced, offers us a feast in a fast food world. It tells us to slow down in an “In-N-Out” world. It shows us that our greatest hunger is the hunger to be connected with our King. It fills our senses and stirs our imagination. Communion raises our eyes to heaven to see the beauty of our Savior, this we savor. But communion is also a family meal. Meals are central times for families to come together. We congregate around food as we share our own stories. In communion we remember that we are a forgiven family, connected by the life and blood our King.

But communion is but an appetizer. Nobody would imagine that a little piece of bread and a shot of wine would qualify as a meal. It isn’t in itself completly filling. Communion points us forward to the fulness of the heavenly banquet to come. Here we eat in part, then we will eat fully. Communion helps us anticipate the fulness of the feast to come. All of this lends support for a regular and rich observance of communion in our churches today.

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“Anything is Possible!!!”

One of my favorite video highlights of this last year has Kevin Garnett screaming after he wins his first NBA Championship, “Anything is Possibleeeeeeeeeeee!” I just love the sheer passion of KG at that moment. Some conspiracy theorists suggest he was trying to say, “Impossible is Nothing” which is the slogan for his sponsor Adidas. But I find this comment absurdly ridiculous as well.

If you were 7 foot, one of the most gifted basketball players in the world, teamed up with two other All-Stars on the best franchise in the NBA, I don’t think winning an NBA title accounts for doing the “impossible.” On the other hand if you were 5′5, Asian-American, on the wrong side of 30 and led your very mediocre team to an NBA title, then I think you can safely say, “Anything is Possssssibleeeeee!” That would truly be doing the impossible.

Sometimes people misquote 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This for instance doesn’t mean that if you have faith you can win an NBA Championship. It doesn’t mean you can be whatever you dream of. All of us have certain physical and intellectual limitations. The context of this verse in Philippians is Paul’s ministry to the church. He says in the previous verse, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Paul is saying that he can face any circumstance with abundant joy and contentment.

Another way to look at it is this: God’s grace doesn’t help me to fulfill my personal dreams but God’s Kingdom dreams. We should have an “Anything is Possible” approach to growing God’s kingdom, reaching the lost, ending poverty not getting my promotion, losing weight and growing wealthy.

But to return to basketball, I’m hoping my Golden State Warriors will win the NBA title in the next few years. Anything is possible!

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Childishness

I was running in the evening in downtown and I came upon this huge Haloween display in a coporate building. It struck me as odd because I’ve always associated Haloween with children. But it seems that more and more Haloween has become an adult affair. I’ve read that alot of companies have chosen to move thier main winter celebration from Christmas to Haloween. A costume party is more neutral (and fun!) than a winter religious celebration. There are now huge stores dedicated to costumes for these Haloween parties. I think this follows a larger cultural trend of adults reverting to childlike behavior.

Think about the rise of Las Vegas. I can’t think of a more poular destination right now than Vegas. Every seeming batheclor party has its great destination there. But what is Vegas? It’s Disneyland for adults. It’s a place where you routinely walk by Elvis as you go to play games by plastic Roman colliseum pillars. Vegas is geared to be a fantasy world where you let your inner child roam free for a weekend. And the mantra “whatever happens in Vegas” also typifies the great pastime of children: keeping secrets.

But should all of this bother us? Yes and No. Play is serious business after all. We’re not called as Christians to be stiff, unemotional “adults”. Jesus seemed to have loved parties. He was first found getting the party started again when the wine ran dry at a wedding feast. He always seemed to show up at all kinds of celebrations and banquets. Jesus wasn’t a kill-joy. Christians should have the best parties because we have the most to celebrate. But there is one fundamental difference with us. Jesus says we should become like children (Matthew 18:3). But in saying that he had something different in mind than what we normally would consider childish. Where we associate childishness with immaturity and recklessness, Jesus is pointed us toward child-like wonder, dependence and purity.

We are to be child-like without being childish. But as I think about this it seems like a delicate balance. Like saying we are to be wise fools. That’s all a part of what it means to be cross-cultured I guess.

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Politics and Faith

Politics and faith can often be a toxic combination when misapplied. With the upcoming election and the rise of the influence of conservative Christians, the need for a conversation about these issues is really important.

When you look at the Bible there seems to be a clear distinction between secular rule and Kingdom rule. The government is given the power of the sword and all believers are called to pray for our earthly authorities (Romans 13:4; 1 Timothy 2:2). The reason for our need to take interest in secular government is that it provides a safe backdrop for the drama of redemption (“that we might live a peaceful and quiet life” 1 Tim 2:2). But our true and ultimate allegiance remains to our God and King. Secular rule and heavenly rule are not deemed enemies. Secular rule provides the earthly security and peace for God’s spiritual rule to take root in the lives of His people. On the other hand earthly and heavenly rule are clearly distinct. The New Testament presupposes in many ways that our earthly rulers are not Christian. This was certainly the context of the writings in the New Testament. Furthermore when we conflate politics and faith we run the danger of thinking we can legislate our way into a heavenly kingdom.

When we vote as Christians we should keep in mind we are not necessarily looking for the candidate that most reflects our religious convictions. We should be looking for the most competent leader that can most successfully provide a backdrop in which both Christians and non-Christians can live peacefully. I would rather have a competent atheist than a incompetent Christian in this regard.

Many people say that we are on the brink or in midst of a “culture war.” I would say we are definitely in midst of one. Christians lose credibility when they vote simply based on religious conviction. Non-Christians become angry and alarmed when they have incompetent Christian leaders who are subtly seeking to legislate their beliefs. This has led to a culture war which pits the religious vs. the irreligious; the Bible belt vs. the coastal states; the “high culture” vs. the uncultured.

There are of course blurry line issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. But it seems short-sighted to vote for leaders simply based on any of these single issues.

This is probably one of the most important elections we’ll experience in our lifetimes. I hope we’ll think, pray and converse about these matters in a serious and engaging way.

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Top Ten CCM Albums

I’ve been realizing that I don’t listen to as much Christian music these days. A lot of CCM these days doesn’t interest me as much. There’s just a lack of genuine authenticity. So I was thinking back on my favorite CCM albums of all time. Most of them are important for me lyrically. Others have carried me during difficult periods. Here are the ones that have most affected me:

10. Chris Rice: Run the Earth, Watch the Sky

9. Switchfoot “Beautiful Letdown”

They break a lot of new ground for CCM musically but much more so thematically. Switchfoot isn’t afraid to wrestle with the darker themes of brokenness and despair. I think this is still their finest work musically and lyrically.

8. Sara Groves, “The Other Side of Something”/ “Live from Messiah College”

7. Bebo Norman, “10,000 Days”

6. SCC “Speechless”

I think this was Chapman at his finest. He was a CCM pioneer who exemplified simplicity and sincerity in his lyrics. This album abounds with the wonder of gospel and the sweetness of grace.

5. Smoki Norful, “I Need You Now”

I gots to include a little gospel on this list. Smoki Norful never fails to move me. Psalm 64 is a beautifully moving lament that is introduced by his minister father. And of course there is his title track that is a classic.

4. Caedmon’s Call “40 Acres”

Caedmon’s without Webb is not as nearly great. This for me was the pinaccle of what was a great band. Thelogically and thematically Caedmon’s Call goes down as an all time great.

3. Derek Webb “I See Things Upside-Down”

Webb is the one Christian artist that I feel like I”ll continue to listen to for the years to come. His strength is his songwriting ability. He is at times mocking, ironic and pessimistic and at other times hopeful and grace-filled. His music challenges. And that’s one thing that you can’t say about most Christian artists performing today. This album exemplifies these qualities.

2. Rich Mullins “A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band”

Why can you say about Rich Mullins? We’ll probably never see another songwriter as great in our lifetime.

1. Chris Rice “Past the Edges”/ “Peace Like a River”

I think what I love about Chris Rice is that he’s the most heavenly-minded artist I know. His music is filled with longing for our eternal home. That’s what true music really brings us to: that moment of transcendence and beauty; the hint of our true destiny that awaits us.

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Hot, Flat and Crowded

I’ve just been reading a book by Thomas Friedman called, “Hot, Flat and Crowded.” He begins the book by talking about a new era that we are embarking on as a planet. We live in a world in which the scale of population growth, technological expasion and global warming has exploded. Friedman’s book is a call to arms to progressively deal with these new realities.

When you look at these dynamics from a spiritual perspective the stakes are even higher. Take for instance the idea of population growth. Today there are 6.7 billion people sharing the planet. By mid-century the poulation will swell to 9 billion. That is a 40 to 45 percent increase. There will be more people living in the middle of this century than the sum of human population for all history. Put it like this: In our lifetime the population of heaven and hell will double. The stakes for our actions have never been higher.

Most of the population growth will take place in urban areas. According to the UN this year marks the first time in human history that more people have been living in urban areas than in rural areas. By 2030 the numbers in urban areas will swell to 3.3 billion people. The future of missions is clearly urban missions both here in the United States and especially abroad.

Sometimes I wonder why God has put me on this planet as a minister at this particular pivotal time in this particular place. I feel so unworthy and incapable of such a calling. But I realize that God most works through the “foolish” and broken. And I realize that this makes me highly qualified for the call.

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