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Theologically Right and Relationally Wrong

This past weekend we continued our series on Life's Toughest Questions.  We let the people of Community submit questions on our website and create the series.  It has been a truly great series so far! 

This week the question was, "What does God have to say about homosexuality?" That is a tough question.  I don't think it's nearly as tough a theological question as it is a relationally tough question.  The research amongst 16-29 year-olds who don't go to church in the best-seller UnChristian concluded, “When you identify yourself as a Christian to a friend, neighbor, or business associate, you might as well have tattooed on your arm: anti-homosexual, gay-hater, homophobic.” That tells me that the church of Jesus has too often been theologically right and relationally wrong.  

My biggest concern going into this weekend is that we would sound like we had all the answers but had no interest in trying to serve and love people who are a part of the gay and lesbian community.  Over and over again in scripture and in the person of Jesus it is clear that God wants to be not just morally right or theologically right, but also relationally right.  And if the church of Jesus wants to see God's Dream accomplished on this planet we can no longer be theologically right and relationally wrong.

Tim Keller... on being brilliant!

I've been fortunate enough to get to meet and even know a lot of the people that I really admire who are in the ministry.  But one of the people I have never met and really admire is Tim Keller. I admire the church that he leads - Redeemer; I admire his commitment to church planting and I admire how smart he is!  (And I plan on connecting with him at the Exponential Conference - don't miss it!)  I had a chance to meet him last week for dinner, but it was last minute and I already had stuff planned.  Ugh!  However, here is an interview with Tim in First Things where he talks about his new book (The Reason For God, which I just ordered and it is currently #18 on the New York Times bestseller list), C.S. Lewis, "seeker churches" and being a Presbyterian.  Check it out.

Two Stats, One Mission - The Jesus Mission!

If the world were a village of 100 people, 67 of those people would. not know the good news and grace of Jesus Christ.  If the world were a village of 100 people, 20 of those people would live on less than a dollar a day.  The mission of Jesus is to change all that!

In a previous generation we had the fight over whether the good news of Jesus was to "seek and save the lost" or to "to bring good news to the poor".  The answer is both.  Those of us that want to see people become Christ Followers and go to Heaven forever do not have to be afraid of a "social gospel".  And those of us who want to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the least of these do not have to be afraid of only "saving souls."  Jesus had one mission and he came to do both!

The mission of Jesus is to reach the 67 and the 20.  Two stats, one mission!

Dream of God

Over the last couple weeks I've been reading N.T. Wright's Simply Christian a few pages at a time before I go to bed.  It is outstanding.  What surprised me is how his writing reminds me of CCC's Dream of God.  A few years ago our team wrote a narrative that describes what God dreams about.  I realized that I've never posted it on my blog and I thought you might find it inspiring.  Here is what we believe is the Dream of God:

God has a dream; it is a dream that He has had for all of eternity.  It is the dream of a people whose hearts beat with a passion for “Helping People Find Their Way Back to Him.”  Their presence enters the community as freshness; like the first fragrance of spring at the close of winter. The breath of new life; new beginnings and the promise of what’s to come fill the air. They bring a message of hope through Jesus Christ inspires of truth and joy. When they gather it is to experience and celebrate the mystery of their oneness in Jesus Christ. Together they are His body – the very physical presence of Christ on earth. They celebrate and embrace God’s eternal plan for the church to be the hope of the entire world. God has a dream.

God dreams of a people whose heart beat reverberates through neighborhoods, cities and countries stirring an awakening in hearts and souls. Christ followers, those close to God connect with those far from God in groups where the language of “we” replaces “me.” Inside these groups it’s safe to risk, to be vulnerable, and share life deeply. They are marked by a radical kind of faith, hope and love; the marks of Jesus Christ and His followers. Transformation takes place as groups empower us to more fully obey Christ together than alone. Neighborhoods become places where the word “lonely” doesn't’t exist; where a smile replaces suspicion, security replaces fear, and Jesus is a holy name on lips. Community becomes a life changing experience, not simply a location. God has a dream.

God dreams of a people whose hearts beat with such compassion that no need goes unmet. The One who has freely given His life calls His own to give freely in return. These Christ followers hold all things loosely and love opens their hands. In this supernatural economy, the greatest return is in the giving and nothing is held back. Personal contribution becomes a path to obedience, fulfillment, unity and joy. The young invest in the aging and the aging contribute to shape the generations of the future.  Generosity replaces self-centeredness as compassion calls us to take risks. With a contagious and passionate desire they contribute to the dream of God to meet the needs of all He loves.  God has a dream...

Just When You Think, "I Don't Have Enough To Give."

Ever think to yourself, "I don't have enough to give"?  Hang with me and just keep reading...

The last couple weeks we have been challenging all of Community Christian Church to give above and beyond to our NEXT mission that we believe will allow us to reach the next 5,000 people. In the coming weeks we will all be making pledges to the NEXT mission.  Sue and I have given more than a tithe to CCC for a long time and we also give to other causes.  So when it came to the NEXT mission at times I've thought, "I don't have enough to give." 

Then I get a letter and a photo from my friend Faustin (the guy on the right in the photo) who lives in Rwanda.  Faustin, his wife Antoinette, their baby and Faustin's three younger brothers all lived on less than $100/year. They are the poorest of the poor.  It was through Global Family Rescue that we started financially supporting Faustin and his family with $59/month. The letter he sent me said thanks for visiting them this last summer, the gifts we brought them and thanks for how our support has transformed their life.  But here is the kicker - Faustin wanted me to know that he took one of his baby goats and he gave it away to Eric (the guy on the left in the photo) who has even less than him.  The photo is of Faustin, Eric and the goat that he gave away.  Faustin is a follower of Jesus and said he did this because Jesus told us, "freely you have received, now freely give" (Matthew 10:18). So, while making more than 95% of the people on the planet (and so do you!) I'm thinking, "I don't have enough to give".  But Faustin  who is still living on far less than $1000/year is looking for ways to be more generous and give back.  When I was in Rwanda Faustin taught me about contentment and now he is teaching me about generosity.  I think I have enough.  I've got more than enough.  I have enough to give some away.  I have enough to give lots away.  How about you?

Christianity is Going East and Islam is Coming to the West

A couple fascinating articles in the August 28th edition of Time Magazine that I thought you might want to check out.  The first article:  The War For China's Soul tells about the spread of Christianity in east and how the church is being persecuted.  I have a friend who just got back from spending the summer in China and I'm anxious to see if the article is accurate to his experience.  The other article is Allah's Recruits and is about the spread of Islam in the west and in many cases as extreme Islam.  If I assume that Time wasn't just being politically correct by putting both articles in the same issue and that is it equally true that Islam is coming west and Christianity is going east; then how should the missional church of Jesus Christ respond?  Strategies?

U2's Bono On Celebrity, Jesus, Africa and More

For the fifth year in a row CCC is hosting a site for the Leadership Summit.  Every year the Willow Creek Association does the a great job of bringing in the best of the best on the topic of leadership.  And one of the highlights of this year was an interview with Bono of U2.  If I still have heroes I think Bono is one of them.  I've seen U2 in concert three times and each time it was like a worship experience and Bono was the worship leader.  He is absolutely the most engaging and charismatic performer I have ever seen.  Crowds of thousands literally hang on his every word and gesture.  It's an amazing gift.  Perhaps even more amazing than his concert performance was his interview with Bill Hybels that covered everything from celebrity to Jesus to Africa and more.  The following are just a few of the quotes from the interview (I was typing as fast as I could so they are probably 95% accurate).  If you saw the interview or are moved by any of the following I would love to hear your comments.  I now give you Bono...

• "The most rewarding part of this past year?  Selfishly, it is to wake up with a melody in my head and heart.  But beyond my music it is the work we are doing with the ONE campaign."
• "I never had a problem with Christ...it was Christians that gave me problems...they seemed completely disinterested culturally and politically...they seemed very strange to me."
• "The world works on the principle of Karma; what you put out comes back to you...but then enters the story of grace in the person of Christ and it turned the world on it's head."
• "Duality is the mark of really great art and it's what is missing in Christian art.  It's missing the tension that is missing...the attempt to wrestle truth to the ground is often absent."
• "Much of gospel music seems fake to me...pretending that everything is o.k...I relate more to the blues...that sounds like the song of David to me."
• "Jesus was either a Charles Manson - a nut case or he was who he said he was.  I'm fascinated by a child born into straw poverty.  The Christmas story is a remarkable story that never ceases to amaze me."
• "How in a world of plenty can people be left to starve?  We think, 'it's just the way of the world'.  And if it is the 'way of the world' we must overthrow the 'way of the world.'"
• "Redemption is an economic term."
• "What else are you going to do with thing called 'celebrity'...it's absolutely ridiculous that it is valued more than being a teacher or more than being a mother...but it is currency and I decided that I was going to spend mine."
• "God has made me an opportunist."
• "Great ideas are like great melodies...they are memorable and a moral force whose time has come...and there is movement behind them."
• "The reason the church has been slow to respond is that the church has historically always been behind the curve:  civil rights, apartheid...the church is afraid of politics.  The second reason the church has been so slow is less palatable..the church has been very judgmental about the AIDS virus...it believes that it is about people living irresponsibly.  Only 6% of evangelicals felt like they were to act in response to the AIDS epidemic.  But the Christ will not let the church walk away from the AIDS emergency...it is like a car crash, we have to act.  AIDS is the leprosy of our age.  But then something tragic happened...the church woke up and began to act...and they ruined it for me...I couldn't hate the church anymore."
• "Love your neighbor is not advice...it's a command.  Should an accident of longitude and latitude really decide whether you live or whether you die?  There are 2003 verses in scripture about the poor, second only to personal salvation.  Jesus speaks of judgment only once and that is the passage in Matthew where we are asked:  'who clothed the naked?' and 'who fed the poor?' and 'who visited those in prison?'  That defines whether you are a part of the Kingdom or not."
• "If the Christian church can lead this movement it can eradicate malaria in 10 years...and then AIDS."
• "Stop asking God to bless what you are doing...find out what God is doing - it is already blessed!"
• "This generation could end stupid poverty...we really can fix that in our generation."
• "'Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven' is a phrase that grabs me...in every detail of our lives we need to seek that."
• "The world is more malleable than you think."
• Bill has convinced me of the importance of the church as the moral force and practical infrastructure for solving the worlds problems.  Open the doors of your church and make them an AIDS clinic.  Your charity is important, but your passion for justice is needed.  I'm asking for your voice and for you to give permission to fix these problems that are fixable.  It's not a burden, it's an opportunity...it's an adventure!"

Playing It Safe Can Be Risky

I found this picture at Creating Passionate Users and thought , "what a great reminder to the church that it can be sooo risky playing it safe!"  The guy in red was rock climbing (the risky thing) while his parked car (the safe thing) was demolished by a gigantic boulder.  The temptation for churches to play it safe is oh so powerful, but in many circumstances, oh so dangerous.

Remember the Masters reaction in Matthew 25 to the servant who played it safe?  Here it is: "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.   "'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'

I Belong In Chicago.

I was still thinking about my trip to Rwanda so I went over to the Global Family Rescue blog and read Melody's most recent post , I Guess I'm Really In Africa.  It's funny but scary; she tells how yesterday her boys found a deadly green mamba in the front yard.  Yikes!  That doesn't really make me want to live in Africa, but it didn't influence my response to what I have been thinking lately - and that is this:   I am in the right spot at the right time for right now.  I belong in Chicago. 

Every time I take a trip to a new place or go visit a new church plant - whether it is Kigali, Rwanda or New York City I find myself wondering, "maybe I should live and serve here."  As those questions came flooding into my mind, the response came like an outgoing tide, "You belong right where you are".  Why do I belong here? 

• God has me in a place that fits my gift mix - Leading Community Christian Church and NewThing totally fit who I am.  I'm a spiritual entrepreneur with a love for leading and starting new stuff that "helps people find their way back to God".  I can best leverage who I am for right now by being right here.
• "Dave, without CCC, there is no GFR" - That was one of the last things that Ben Pahlow, President of GFR said to me before I left Rwanda.  He was talking about CCC's ongoing challenge to every person to be on mission with God and to ask, "What next God?"  He was talking about the $400k-$500k that CCC attenders will give to GFR families in Rwanda over the next 3 years.  I need to be influencing people with influence right here.
• Chicago is my hometown - I grew up in the Chicago area.  I love Chicago (the White Sox part, not the Cub part).  I fit in Chicago.  I connect with people from Chicago.  And Chicago is one of the most influential cities in the most influential country in the world.  I need to be right here, right now.

If God wants to me go, I will go!  But until God has a better place for me I am in the right spot at the right time for right now.  And it has nothing to do with snakes.

Poverty and Contentment

Take a look at this picture.  My new friend Faustin makes less than $100/month and has all his life (and that includes the support we now send him every month).  He lives in a two bedroom mud house with dirt floor, no electricity and none of the modern convenience that most of us in the States take for granted.  And I'm not talking about microwave or dishwasher; I'm talking about a fork, knife and spoon - he doesn't have it.  Faustin mother died when he was very young; his father was shot in the genocide and he was left to raise his four brothers at the age of 14.  He knows what it is like to beg for food; he knows what it is like to see his first two children die before the age of two and he knows what it is like to be the poorest of the poor. 

But when I saw Faustin holding his new born baby boy (like in the picture) - I'm telling you he was content!  Look at the grin on his face - that is one happy Dad!  He seemed to really have everything he needed.  It was the perfect example of what Paul said, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance."  I have to admit that I was surprised.  I assumed that anyone that poor must be discontent. 

My assumption was that poverty and discontentment always go together.  That assumption led me to believe that my role as a Christian from the United States was two-fold 1) end his extreme poverty and to 2) bring him contentment.  My support helped him in his battle against poverty but Faustin is a follower of Jesus and he already has contentment. 

Today I remembered Mother Teresa once said, "the poverty in the United States is far worse than that in the streets of Calcutta, because it is a poverty of the soul." In the couple hours that I spent with Faustin and his family I almost forget that they were poor.  Why?  I think it is because they are content.  And we believe that it is impossible to be poor and still be content - but they are.

So, my role as a Christian from the United States is to help end Faustin's extreme physical poverty and Faustin's role as a Christian from Rwanda is to help end my "poverty of the soul" and show me how to "learn to be content in whatever circumstance."