For Tim Tebow and 20-Somethings

Chap Clark recently wrote an open letter to Tim Tebow. I pasted the advice section of letter below because I thought was relevant advice for all 20-somethings.


Because of this, I just wanted to share three simple little thoughts for you to ponder the next few years (I know I don’t know you personally, but I have spent a bunch of time working to understand people in your stage of life, so I hope this resonates with you):

1. Find a couple of trusted older “mentor types” who could care less that you are a football player. I know you’ve grown up with a phenomenal family and great family and church friends. But for this stage, maybe it could be a gift to find a handful of solid, smart, unflappable men and women from Denver who would be willing to walk with you, listen to you, and be there for you as you navigate the next few years (I know a few like that in Denver, if you need some suggestions)
2. Get plenty of alone time and read, and read a lot, beyond the kinds of books you’re used to reading. Tim, expand your mind, and your view of people, the world and the faith. These are supremely important formative years, and even though you’re a famous icon you’re still a 24-year-old young man who desires to grow into the man God has called him to be. So read, and study, well.
3. Find a couple of friends who will tell you when you’re being foolish, or delusional, or worse. We all are fooled, and you more than anyone has plenty of press clippings and “wanna be friends” who will tell you whatever it takes to be in your inner circle. But flee the temptation to spend much time with those types. Many a famous young person has been dragged down under the weight of their own success. Friendships – real, authentic, honest and lifelong friendships will force you to stay grounded.

May these three brief thoughts help to guide you into the depth and honest growth you long for. You’re a good guy, Tim, and the future is bright. But it has nothing to do with football; it has to do with you, the man.
Chap Clark

Thoughts on Poverty

Two short stories:

(insert racial tensions between the black and white cultures of North Louisiana)
I'm sure my dad probably doesn't remember this conversation but it has stuck with me.  Riding in the truck home after a cross country practice in high school he was telling me about his day. As the principal of an elementary school he had to make a trip up to the local school board office. There he had to argue with the payroll department for his janitorial staff to receive their appropriate pay and benefits. This was part of an ongoing battle of mishaps that never favored the janitorial staff. I asked my what made him keep doing that. I still remember his reply, "Because I can see them as people"


The other story comes from a friend. I will not use names because I did not ask permission to share even though he gladly shared the story with me.......A homeless man in Asheville approached two guys in college on summer break and asked them for some money. One of the guys asked politely what he needed the money for. The homeless man said he just wanted to buy a beer. Surprised by the man's honesty the college guy offered to buy him a beer in exchange for some conversation. The three men shared a beer and discussed their lives and relationships with Jesus.

How should we read the Bible?

N.T.Wright "The whole sweep of Scripture"

NT Wright reflects on the way we should read scripture: not just as verses, but as the meta-narrative of God’s involvement in history.  A brilliant man sharing his wisdom.

Atheism 2.0

 

Alain de Botton recently gave this TED talk called Atheism 2.0 

His lecture was intriguing to say the least. He presents a 'new' postmodern twist to atheism incorporating the 'best parts' of  religion. 

We have to admit that there are consequences of our orientation toward data and technique rather than toward emotional processes of our human nature. Botton recognizes this and seeks to address the problem by meshing culture with the ritualistic practices of religion to reinforce positive character traits. He focuses on creating 'spiritual' experiences that address our higher level needs such as guidance, morality, and consolation.

Certainly there are positive aspects of religion that should be incorporated by culture such as community, meditation, and reflection. But my problem with his theory lies in his assumption that religious rituals will work as a means to an end. He operates as if there is some equation to a satisfying life.

Here I think we definitely see a heart longing for something more. My worry is that someone with this mindset will eventually find themselves even more empty after the trapping of ritual practices. 

Botton's talk made me reflect upon the motives of my own practices. Do they serve as a means to an end? Or are they designed to connect me to something beyond?

A Response to 'Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus'

This video has gone viral in the last few weeks. I have seen it a dozen+ times on my mini-feed within the last week. The irony of it all is that it has mostly been friends I would consider conservative posting the video. The whole thing kind of annoys me and gives me hope at the same time. I also saw a post with Willie Wonka that read "Oh you hate religion but love Jesus. You must be so much smarter and open minded than other Christians." I will admit that I chuckled the first time I read it, but cynicism isn't the proper approach either. 

Jefferson Bethke says the video is designed to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. I give him a C- for this assignment(includes bonus points for style).

Where Jefferson gains points:
- Churches are often as consumed with materialism as the culture that surrounds them.
- Religion can often become nothing more than behavior modification.
- There is a disconnect between many peoples actions and stated beliefs.
- Church should be open to people with broken lives.
- God does not favor self-righteousness


Where Jefferson looses points:
- Bethke understanding of the issue (Jesus vs. Religion)  is too black and white. It is more complicated than saying 'Im all spiritual but not religious'
- He is from Seattle, yet feels the need to take cheap shots at Republicans with lines like "Being Republican doesn't automatically mean Christian."
- Accuses the church of not feeding the poor or taking care of single moms.
-  "Religion has do, Jesus says Done. Religion says Slave. Jesus says Son."  Fact check: Jesus said all those things.
- Narrow view of the Gospel message as sin management.


Yes let us never forget that Jesus had to abolish and reject aspects of the very religion that prophesied his coming, but he did so in order to create the church as the Renewed Israel.
I'm afraid Bethke is as much a reductionist as the false religious people he rebukes.

I am glad Bethke is trying to overcome the perceived gap between his actions and stated beliefs, but I wish he would listen more carefully to his own advice.......

'Just because you call somebody blind, doesn't automatically give you vision'

5 Things MLK Did Well

"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

5 Things MLK did well:

1. Responded instead of reacting; self-regulated his instinctive drive to react

2. Encouraged people groups to adapt toward their strongest member instead of herding to protect their weakest members.

3. He used challenge as a chance to produce growth. Avoided blame and victimization. 

4. He allowed time for processes to mature. No quick fix mentality.

5. Stood up for what was right. There was no failure of nerve in his leadership.

What is the Christian Story about?

The Christian story is not primarily about how God in Jesus came to rescue sinners from some impending disaster. It is about God’s work of initiating us into a fellowship and making us true conversational partners with the Father and the Son through the Spirit and, hence, with each other (1 Jn 1:1-4). Attaining heaven and avoiding hell represent just one aspect of the koinonia of God’s extended family. This explains why heaven and hell do not receive any sustained focus in the Scriptures. The biblical writers avoid direct discussion of details about the hereafter (2 Cor 12:1-4). But they have bequeathed to us a rich vocabulary describing the nature of the life of fellowship (justification, regeneration, reconciliation and so on) and explaining it (as in the various hortatory sections of the Epistles). Above all, they furnish us with four Gospels, four related stories about Jesus, whose life and work made it all possible.

Chan, Simon (2009-09-30). Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life (p. 78). Intervarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

Formation

I was asked to give my working definition of spiritual and personal formation. This was my reply.

I do not have separate definitions for Spiritual and Personal formation because I believe they are inseparable. Often times I have heard someone ask “How is your spiritual life?” I prefer a question more like, “What is God doing in and with your life?” To separate the two seems only to serve as self-deception that beliefs are somehow different from our actions. As part of living out an incarnate faith all life is part of spiritual and personal formation, because they are one in the same.

Spiritual and personal formation are not simply meant to be integrated, they are already integrated. In “Becoming Whole and Holy” one of the authors discusses that we are finite beings and by definition that means we are in a state of becoming.  I would agree that regardless of our level of engagement with the world we are becoming and being formed through our interaction with it. Our initial efforts therefor play a major role in the direction of our formation.

I believe personal scripture reading, prayer, and reflection are and always will be important aspects of intentional formation. I don’t think these practices should be used as a means to an end, but definitely integrated as a part of a life fully engaged with God. With that said I also believe formation is done best through community. The book refers to formation as both relational and social. We are not merely shaped by other people’s ideas but by the other people themselves. Through community love becomes the formative strategy. We find God and are formed by Him in the very act of love.

divinehumanity

Here are some fuzzy thoughts about the nature of Jesus.

Christ claimed to be 100% God and 100% human. That’s amazing because I don’t think I could fully embrace either.

Of course I could never consider myself fully God. I could never be omnipresent or all knowing... anything more than a subjective being.

But I am also constantly doing things to spite on own humanity as if I am somehow above it. As a finite being totally limited to my space and time I continually make claims as if I am not. Of course I am uncertain and I have doubt and unknowing, but often I pretend not too. I make claims of certainty about realities of which I have no way to prove outside of my own experience.

I could never be God, but I have trouble accepting that I am fully human.

On the cross Jesus was fully God and fully Human. Jesus, knowing all, fully embraced the human  experience of doubt and unknowing even till death. God forsake God.

It isn't in acknowledging, but in participating in that crucifixion that we find ourselves in presence of God fully embracing our humanity.









2 Corinthians 4:10-12 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 

Public Jesus

I feel like God has become more and more privatized. We are more concerned with what happens behind closed doors. The inner life. We ask people about their "spiritual life" as if it is something separate from the rest of their life. It seems as if the real self is the inner self. It isn't want you do but what you believe.

Recently I have really taken on this idea of God in present. Finding God in the very act of love. Not in what I know about Him but in the way He is manifest through daily actions. Seeking God in this manner has blurred the lines between spiritual and everyday life.

Who we are drives what we do. To say we believe one thing but we act in a different way is a lie. What we do is what we believe. We do things that contradict our stated beliefs, and then claim we need to get our actions in line with our beliefs. The truth is at some level our inner being believes it is ok to live in contradictions, and our outer being reflects that through our actions. To hold the inner and outer selves as separate is to maintain the delusion between our perceived and actual selves.

Our inner self is our outer self. Actions are our beliefs. If you believe God is Love you will find Him in the very act of doing so. The lines from our journals, songs, and words become a reflection of the actions of lives, not the other way around.

"I am God" says Love

"I am God" says Love

I don't remember who authored that quote. I just remember the first time I read it being struck by the huge idea hidden in such a small saying.

It seems to bring the presence of God into the present.

Often times we read it - "I am Love" says God. In western culture we often make God a separate being living in a alternate time space reality. This creates a disconnect between our reality and God's; a separation between heaven and earth.

"I am God" says Love - seems to deliver the message that Jesus brought. That God is now here among us.

God dwells with us and is found in the very act of Love itself.





to be love is to be known,
to know how is to be shown,
to show us how we look to above,
up came down so He could be Love.

I Resolve to Resolve

Yesterday my friend Paul Behnke spoke about becoming an integrated person. We tend to be disintegrated people living compartmentalized lives. We compartmentalize our spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, and intellectual etc...lives. Paul spoke of removing the dissonance between our inner and outer selves. Integrating our mind, body, soul, strength. (Matt 5:48) Paul's talk was solid and I agree that at some level we need to become less compartmentalized, but I would also like to offer a slightly difference approach to same idea.

I think that our inner and outer lives are already in consonance. That is that we cannot avoid the integration. We may act differently in varying situations, but that is who we are expressed through different scenarios. We may want that which is right or that which is wrong given a different circumstance. Our practices do not fall short of our beliefs; but are a concrete, material expression of them.

Our practices are our beliefs.  Our attempts to brings our actions in line with our stated beliefs fails to admit this. It maintains the separation between mind, body, soul, and strength.

The gap in our lives that needs to be removed lies between our perception and reality. Our commitments will show us which master we serve and which one we hate. (Matt 6:4) Our stated beliefs will not always be as straight forward. 

To truly change our inner lives by default changes our outer lives.