What's a Life Worth

Sara and I finally watched the movie Hotel Rwanda the other night with some friends. We had avoided watching it to this point fearing its unsettling content. For those who don't know about the movie it is an unbelievable depiction of a sickening and tragic event in our world's history. Here's a synopsis of the film:

Don Cheadle gives "the performance of a lifetime" (Los Angeles Times) in this "remarkable" (Newsweek) and "inspiring" (Chicago Tribune) true story of one man's brave stance against savagery during the 1994 Rwandan conflict. Co-starring Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix, Hotel Rwanda is "the kind of film that can change the world" (Joel Siegel, "Good Morning America").

As his country descends into madness, five-star hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina (Cheadle) sets out to save his family. But when he sees that the world will not intervene in the massacre of minority Tutsis, he finds the courage to open his hotel to over 1,200 refugees. Now, with a rabid militia at the gates, he has only his wits and words to help keep them alive another hour, another day.

Even more disturbing than the gruesomeness of the event itself was the aspect that the world knew what was going on and chose to ignore it. The value of life was determined before it was ever lost and the response was that it wasn't worth the effort. Who are we to determine how much a life is or is not worth? This is a movie and a story we all need to be aware of.

In class at church the next morning we experienced a real life story of someone similar to that of Rwanda. A woman from Liberia shared her testimony as a believer and a refugee caught in the middle of a war in 1990. It was a powerful story of hope and faith in the midst of intense savagery and persecution. Her father was a minister and one of few Christians in a Muslim community hated for his beliefs. However, his home became known as a house of hospitality for all people, important military and government officials included. Even though they hated his family they wouldn't turn down their hospitality and a good meal. He continued to tell his family to love these people despite the hate for their Christian beliefs. When the war began this man's family was on the list to be executed for their convictions. Before they were murdered, an official came up to the house and proclaimed to the soldiers not to kill this man and his family because of their kindness and hospitality. He said, "they paid for my schooling when I was poor and could not afford it and their home is our home." Because of his intervention the soldiers spared their lives and left.

I can't imagine what life is like for people in these places because I know I have never experienced persecution like they have. It is people like the hotel manager and this woman from Liberia that shame me for my lack of courage in much less life-threatening situations. They have lived at the doorstep of death and chosen courage over fear and hope over despair. They, more than I, understand the confusing message in Scripture that there is joy in suffering. Who are we to determine what life is worth...for it is people such as these that remind us that life is...priceless!

May our eyes be open to those around us and may we see and experience life through His eyes!

Destination Kentucky

This post is probably a long time in coming...

How easy it is to want to plan out our lives in detail. I wouldn't consider myself a strong A-type personality (at least not as strong as my wife) but I must confess I like to have a plan. I like to have a purpose, even if that purpose from time to time is to accomplish nothing of importance at all. I guess it has something to do with our innate desire to be in control and to plan for the future. So much of what we do in our lifetime centers around looking toward what lies ahead. When we are small we dream of what we will be when we grow up. When we are grown we plan for marriage, we plan for pregnancy, we acquire insurance to offset whatever the future holds. We invest money for that rainy day, plan for our children's future education, and hope and pray for that day when retirement finally comes. And we all have a plan, some vision of how the pieces come together to create a finished portrait.

A few months ago, Sara and I thought we already knew what some of the pieces would look like as we planned for our final year in Abilene. But as usual, just when I think I am completely in control of my life, God proves to me otherwise and once again I learn the lifelong lesson that my life is not mine to control. A lot has unfolded in the last few months for our little family of two in which the majority of those events have led us to an upcoming relocation. Thus, Destination Kentucky!

Honestly, I never planned on moving to Kentucky or even to a town called Paducah but that is exactly where we find ourselves and we couldn't be more excited about it. The move has come about because I accepted a position as Associate Minister at the Reidland Church of Christ there in Paducah, Kentucky. A lot was involved to bring us to this point but now our move is only about a month away. It seems like time has flown by so fast. Anybody who has moved from one place to another can realize that this is a bitter sweet time for us...bitter because we are leaving some close friends and family behind but sweet because we are starting a new chapter in our lives as we become a part of a new family, working side by side to minister with and to and to love people whoever and wherever they are. I believe God has prepared us for this next step even if it was not included in our "original picture." Nevertheless, if we walk forward in faith to be his hands, his feet, and his body broken for a broken world it will only be by his strength, his grace, and his love at work through and within us. It won't be long now Reidland family, at least according to our plan!

Please pray for Sara's job situation. While she has some opportunities that are exciting we ask for God's guidance and direction through the process. Lord, in all things may we give You glory!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight! Prov. 3:5-6

Bird's Eye View

Thanks to my friend Travis for exposing me to such a fun site. Enjoy these Satellite views of places I have been courtesy of Google Maps Beta.

Where I grew up in Texas

My Parents house in Florida

Where we live now in Abilene: Sherrod Apartments

Where we will be in August: Reidland Church of Christ

Congregational Resource

A new website connected with some people at ACU has been unveiled recently to provide resources to churches interested in pursuing the missional implications of being a community of God in our time and context. I think it will be a helpful intersection of dialogue for all of us who seek to be a "distinct community who participates in the life of God for the sake of the world." If you get a chance, check it out!

www.saltandlightresources.com

May we be a living community who daily demonstrates the love and reign of God!

To Him be Glory

Peace in the Midst

Sara and I went to Stream in the Desert with some friends this weekend in Midland, TX. For those who don't know Stream is a renewal conference unique to West Texas. In many ways it was a good escape and allowed us to catch our breath before heading down April's home stretch. Mike Cope was the guest speaker for the conference and as usual, he did a wonderful job. I think the part that impacted me most was what he shared in the Sunday morning session. Here's my take:

We all want peace. In fact, many times we long for it. Sometimes, however, we have unreal expectations of what peace is and what it should look like in our lives. Mike reminded us that peace, contrary to popular belief, is not the absence of pain but the promise of presence! This life is full of both mountains and valleys, good times and bad. In this world suffering is a reality. We all experience it at different times and in different ways. The good news we have to share with hurting people in the midst of brokenness and suffering is not the "health and wealth" message that in Christ everything comes up roses, but the message of everlasting peace. God has not abandoned his people. We may never understand why bad things happen or why people suffer but one thing is certain: We have the promise of his presence! Wherever we are, he joins us in the midst. O' Emmanuel...God with us! That, my friends, is the peace that passes all understanding.

Lord, continue to fill us with your peace.

Stop Masquerading and Start Unveiling

It's easy to get caught up in fairytales. Something about them can draw us in. Maybe it is the idea that within the limitless boundaries of make-believe our imagination can run wild. Maybe at times we are just suckers for happy endings. Or, maybe it is the chance to escape, even if just for a few moments, the grasp of reality. The freedom to be what and whoever we want to be. To live out a story different from our own.

Growing up I remember the excitement of costume parties. It was as if Icould live out my own fairytale. As a kid I could be a doctor, a baseballplayer, a knight in shining armor, or even a pirate with a makeshift"wooden" leg. While dressing up was fun, the best part was "fooling" others into believing that I was no longer myself but the character I wanted them to see. Of course, to effectively pull off such a feat costume was important, but a mask was the key. Without a mask my disguise was useless because people could see the real me. There was a point when I thought I might outgrow the desire to masquerade, however, the older I become the moreI realize I never really stopped attending costume parties. In fact as I reflect, it is intriguing that they always seem to fall on the same day.

My point is not to be cynical but to attempt to ask some difficult questions. I think we know what it's like to live in the midst of "Sunday Smiles" as many of us disguise who we are and what we really feel. All around us there are hurting people and I wonder what message we convey to them when they walk through the door only to find us holding up our masks. And in not so many words we say: welcome to yet another masquerade ball.

I'm tired of picking out costumes week after week. I'm tired of the empty "how are you--fine" exchanges. It seems that of all places the community of God should be a place where we can let our guard down, where our disguises can fall to the floor, where masks are removed in order to reveal who we are inside, a place where we can be real! I realize there are boundaries and I recognize there can be certain dangers to transparency, but I think if we are honest we can agree the costume act hasn't worked. Until we stop masquerading and start unveiling it will be difficult, if not impossible, to be the Christ-formed community God intended. This means more than just unveiling ourselves in our own brokenness and humanity but this also means unveiling Christ in the midst of our everyday attempts to be real. We must not be afraid to share life with others out of fear that the shadows of our life might be exposed. God doesn't need us to be masked superheroes, always looking for the closest available phone booth to quickly don our disguise, but I believe he wants us to remove the masks, reveal our brokenness, and walk hand in hand with our brothers and sisters as we together, by the power of God, journey toward the restoration of all mankind.

I'm not saying it will be easy, but I believe because of God at work in us we have the power to do it. May God bless us as we seek to stop masquerading and start unveiling the glory of God in Christ each and every day of our lives. Next time we meet, I look forward to seeing your face!

Theological Sunglasses

The following is a dialogue I initiated with some of the leadership at my home church as they are in the process of re-constructing a new building. I think it is something for us all to consider:

I took a short course in January titled Christian Worship. In it, one of the areas we discussed involved the messages we convey about God and about who we are as a community of faith and a people of God, even in the simple things such as service structure and physical setting (in this case: church building). In most cases (intentional or not) we communicate a lot about who we are and what we value based on these things. For example, we gather as community in what most would consider an auditorium, in which chairs are in rows all facing forward toward a stage. Just the idea of an auditorium conveys the message that we are here to listen/watch some "performance" in which the most important things take place at the front. Thus, there is a sense that participation is severly limited, with the hope for attentive listeners. It becomes difficult to even see who we are as we gather in community because we have traditionally designed it in a way that says, "you may only look forward." One of the questions we had to wrestle with as a result of this class was/is, "What message does an auditorium blueprint convey about God and about ourselves as a people of God? What does it say about what we value as important/vital to the life of the community?"

Our professor used one church he encountered simply as an example. First of all, the leadership there decided to be intentional about calling the place where they gathered for worship--a sanctuary. There are many messages behind something so simple as a name, not the least of which is the message that this is a meeting place between God and his people, a place of refuge, rest, and renewal. The sanctuary was then intentionally designed with the "stage" at the center with the chairs circled around it. The idea is to automatically convey that we gather as a community in which what we say and do here impacts us all as we interact with each other in worship. It is an aspect which I am convinced cannot be achieved in an "auditorium" setting (at least the way churches have done it in the past). Then, at the center was some form of podium, along with a good size table, and an in-ground baptistry (what I picture is something like what exists at Metro but inside--this one also had rock structure around it, I guess for beautification purposes). Before construction began on this building the leadership wanted to make a point with the connection of these three things to the center of the sanctuary. They wanted to convey that they are a people of the Word. The Word of God is central to who they are and central to revealing who God is. They also wanted it to be emphasized that we come together as a people of God around a table. Around the table we lay our differences aside and we join together to commune and feast with God because he has welcomed us to the table with him. Finally, they wanted to emphasize that baptism, as initiation into the life of God, is at the heart of who they are as a community and at the heart of who they believe God calls them to be.

I realize this is not a very thorough analysis but I thought it worthwhile to bring to your attention. This is not a critique on my home church as much as it is an attempt to dialogue about how we approach what we do with theological lenses on. I can't help but think that Metro is in a very unique situation right now. How many churches get the opportunity to redesign the community meeting place in light of who God is and who we are as his community in this world? After purchasing a building most churches only get the chance to add on, they don't get to completely redesign an already existing building. Unfortunately, I think it is easy to continue with what we have always done as churches without considering the theological implications and the messages proclaimed in them about what we value and who we desire to become. I realize any of these changes would be significant and maybe even drastic in many peoples eyes compared to what has always been done at Metro, however I believe thinking about these things is too important not to reflect on how it might shape the Metro community as you move forward from this point into the future. My goal is not to change things but to help you consider and reflect on what might be some new ideas in light of what I have recently learned this semester. It is not about making change for change's sake but about exhausting all means as leadership to mold and shape people into the image of God in Christ that we might share the good news of the gospel to His glory.

Based on my experience in this class, I will no longer think the same, even about the things we have tended to deem insignificant (such as physical setting) in the past. I hope others will be open to thinking in these ways too. It's a new day and I think there is something to wearing these theological shades.

Hitched on Valentine's Day

It's hard to believe that this was already the third Valentine's Day with my own life-long sweetheart. Sara and I went out for our romantic evening on Saturday night because she typically has to work late in the clinic on weeknights. I had a particular plan that I proceeded to butcher in the closing minutes but that's a story for another time. We ended up doing dinner and a movie and it was great just to spend some time together. Our lives are so busy right now that we really look forward to those extended intersections.

I wanted to be a sensitive and caring husband in regard to the movie so I searched for an appropriate "chick flick." As far as I could really tell I had two choices: one being "Wedding Day" or something like that and the other "Hitch." If I was really self-sacrificing I probably would have chosen the "Wedding Day" movie but I quickly realized my limitations and decided on the romantic comedy "Hitch." Sara and I both laughed through the entire movie. I thought it was well done, suprisingly clean and even conveyed a good moral message underneath the romance and comedy. The basic premise is that a date doctor (Will Smith) tries to help the good but goofy guys get the girl of their dreams. One of those guys the date doctor helps is played by Kevin James and one scene in particular between the two characters stood out to me toward the end of the movie. The two are talking about how Smith's character has given up on love and Kevin James' character says something to the effect of "you are trying to sell something you don't even believe in." To which Smith responds, "What do you mean, love is my life!" James--"No, love is your job!"

It may be hard to grasp the impact of this scene from these second-hand written words but I couldn't help but reflect on how the comments in the scene relate to us as Christians. How many times to we proclaim that God, Jesus, or Christianity is our life but in reality it is obvious we are going through the motions only to receive our check! The result is that the Christian life becomes just another job instead of something to live out and for. What flows from our lips must intersect with the way we live our lives or others will quickly realize that we are employees of corporation lip service. My prayer is that we as Christians will no longer punch our card as employees but instead as disciples live in such a way that communicates Christ is our life and not just another occupation!

Like a Phoenix

I don't know all there is to know about birds, in fact I really don't know much about them at all but one phrase consistently connected with the Phoenix is that it "rises from the ashes." In some ways I think it could be an appropriate image to consider as we move forward from the tragic events of this week. Some of the youth at our church were involved in an accident on their way back from a youth conference in which one young boy died and others were seriously injured. Yesterday, Sara and I went to the funeral for this eleven year old boy who was in the youth group at Highland. It was a very intense and emotional experience for all who attended and my heart grieves and hurts for what his family and friends are experiencing right now. There is something unsettling about seeing someone younger than you pass on and as rare as it is (at least in my experience) I imagine the hardest thing for a parent to do is bury a child in their own lifetime, but in moments like yesterday we are smacked in the face with the reality that these things happen from time to time and the bubble that we had so convincingly lived in before isn't as safe and ideal anymore.

Sitting there in the sanctuary I couldn't help but cry. I cried for a young life lost. I cried for the empty void in a family's life. I cried for all his friends who only wished it would have been them instead. And I cried at the sheer magnitude of the incarnate God with arms wide open, present in all who gathered both in that building and around the world. It was then that I felt the overwhelming reassurance that, like the phoenix, we will rise from the ashes. It is not by our own power but by the hand of an almighty God who reaches down into the darkness of pain and despair, joins us there, and begins to lift us up to bring us to a place where once again we might be able to stand. I have seen the body of Christ before but never quite like this. The entire family at Highland has been shaken to the core whether you know those involved or not but in the midst of the tears there is one who is big enough to be there with us, to listen to our pain, our hurt, and our fears and to hold us in his loving arms. We don't have all the answers and there are things we will never understand but through it all we fall at the feet of the one who promises strength for the weary, healing for the brokenhearted, comfort for the hurting and life everlasting. God, help us to trust you and to not lean on our own understanding as we long and hope for the moment when we can rise above the ashes.

New Year

With the new year comes opportunity for new beginnings and whether or not it is a resolution I hope to return to the blogging world on a more regular basis. I've realized how much I've missed the self-reflection it provides. Last semester became so hectic that I lost sight of that blessing and look forward to it's rebirth. This week I am taking a short course entitled Christian Worship so maybe I can express some insights addressed throughout the class.

Blessings in this new year!