“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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Speak What We Feel…

I’m preaching on a series of sermons on the Proverbs. The Proverbs contain some of the most simple yet humbling truths to preach upon. I came across this memorable line that comes at the end of King Lear:

The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

So many times in my life I catch myself just saying what I “ought to say” instead of what I really feel. Hard truths are left unsaid. A deep sense of gratitude is abbreviated by a simple, “thank you.” The Bible summarizes these truths by saying we should, “speak the truth in love.”

I have to catch myself from the tragedy of the predictable. I want to live out of my heart and not out of expectations and obligations. The preacher’s job is not to spout predictable cliches but to speak sincere truth from the depths of his being. Imagine living in a world in which people only spoke sincerely and graciously.

MLK once said
“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

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Retreating

I feel like I’m finally back in the swing of things. Nina and I got back from taking a short vacation to San Diego and Pismo Beach last month. Afterward we went on our second annual Big Bear Getaway with City Light. Finally I spoke at a youth retreat in Idyllwild.

The vacation was all together sweet and way too short. I felt like I slept half of this last vacation away! Once my body got a feel for rest, I felt like it shut down on me. But we did manage to eat at some wonderful restaurants and see some outstanding sights. There really isn’t a need to travel thousands of miles away on vacation when Southern California has so much to offer on its own.

Our Big Bear Retreat was also a wonderful respite. Our speaker, Jason Mather, was a perfect fit for where our church was. He spoke to us about the running the race of faith. We had some really powerful times in small group as people really opened up about where they were spiritually. It was a great chance to catch up with a lot of newer people. This was a real answer to prayer.

Finally the youth retreat I thought went well. I’m real rusty when it comes to speaking to youth. I felt I came full circle speaking to a youth group where close to ten years ago I first got my start in ministry.

As the summer comes to a close there are a lot of new things going on with me and the ministry. God willing my wife will be having our first child in November! She’s slowly growing in mom’s womb and we’re really anxious to meet her! We’re also starting new small group ministries and are starting a lot of new outreach projects with our new outreach coordinator. We’re hoping that this Fall brings many wonderful new things. It’s good that I got to catch my breath these last few months!

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The Holy Spirit

Some people say that the Holy Spirit is the bashful person of the Trinity. The Spirit seems so elusive for conservative people like me. I love this passage from Richard Lovelace’s Dynamics of the Christian Life. It reminds me of where I need to be in keeping in step with the Spirit:

“We should make a deliberate effort at the outset of every day to recognize the person of the Holy Spirit, to move into the light concerning his presence in our consciousness and to open up our minds and to share all our thoughts and plans as we gaze by faith into the face of God. We should continue to walk throughout the day in a relationship of communication and communion with the Spirit mediated through out knowledge of the Word, relying upon every office of the Holy Spirit’s role as a counselor mentioned in Scripture. We should acknowledge him as the illuminator of truth and of the glory of Christ. We should look to him as our teacher, guide, sanctifier, giver of assurance concerning our sonship and standing before  God, helper in prayer, and as the one who directs and empowers witness.”

The opposite of keeping in step with the spirit is living in the flesh. The spirit brings life and the flesh brings death. We need the Spirit because we have been broken by sin. We need continually to be refreshed and spiritually renewed. My hope is that the Spirit would continually bring renewal to my heart and my church.

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Fatherhood

I could barely make out those rapidly moving lines on the screen. It looked like I was watching static on the television screen. But suddenly out of those seemingly impenetrable waves flickered a little life. It was moving and wiggling around in my wife’s womb. It was seemingly restless and hyperactive. This child surely has my DNA! I saw a little hand move to suck on its thumb. After zooming in the doctor declared that we had a baby girl on our hands. I felt overwhelmed with joy.

I really can’t believe I’ll be a father soon. Feeling the little kicks of my baby girl makes this seem more a reality. More than anything else I feel grateful. This little life is such an amazing gift. It’s like out of the desert of my heart, God decided to flood me with an ocean of water. This little life brings me so much unexplainable joy. And to think we haven’t even brought her home yet! When I think of all of those biblical narratives that deal with barrenness and the joy of a child I always felt detached. But now I’m slowly coming to understand this joy of new life.

I really can’t wait to be a father. I can’t wait to raise my daughter. I’ll read to her, sip imaginary tea with her and teach her to be careful of boys. But I’m also looking forward to the lessons it will teach me about God’s fatherly heart for me. If I have so much joy for this little unborn child, how much more does he loves his childdren whom He has died to save? What an amazing process. What an amazing God.

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The Age of Google

I love Google something wonderful. It’s the supreme reference tool for a pastor preparing for a sermon. I can track down any quote and reference a world of knowledge. Google can find me the nearest restaurant and get me to any address. But is there a potential downside to the Age of Google?

One of the effects of the internet age is that we have a tendency to displace reading with web surfing. I used to be a voracious reader but now I find myself easily distracted. I promise I have developed a mild form of ADD. I can’t read for extended periods without needing a break. I also have a tendency to check my e-mail every fifteen minutes. Even when I’m on the web I can’t read long blogs or news entries that extend beyond a few paragraphs without skimming. You’re probably doing this now as you read this entry.

The irony of the internet is that it gives us a world of knowledge but it doesn’t make us more knowledgeable. We have a tendency to over rely on the information at our fingertips so that when we are without it we are ignorant. Because of Google we know bits of information but we don’t have a depth of knowledge. We know headlines in the news but we don’t know the underlying issues. We have facts without knowledge; smarts without wisdom. This contributes to the shallowness of our society.

What are the cures? As with most things moderation. How about an internet fast for a day or two in our week? We can maybe start with an hour or two a day. Many companies have programs that lock you out of your e-mail for one or two hours. It has helped productivity soar. But it starts with understanding and discussing the usefulness and limitations of our new Google age.

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