The Places We Live…

As you know – I saw slumdog millionaire recently – great flick – if you haven’t checked it out – you should…

After watching it I came across THIS site.

If you haven’t seen The Places We Live site yet, you should absolutely give it a look. The project features panoramic pictures of slums and haunting stories told by the people who live there. It is an incredibly unique mix of photo journalism, social awareness, and technology.

Here are a couple of photographer Jonas Bendiksen’s pictures and a blurb about the project.

“The year 2008 has witnessed a major shift in the way people across the world live: for the first time in human history more people live in cities than in rural areas. This triumph of the urban, however, does not entirely represent progress, as the number of people living in urban slums—often in abject conditions—will soon exceed one billion. From 2005 to 2007 Jonas Bendiksen documented life in the slums of four different cities: Nairobi, Kenya; Mumbai, India; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Caracas, Venezuela. His lyrical images capture the diversity of personal histories and outlooks found in these dense neighborhoods that, despite commonly held assumptions, are not simply places of poverty and misery. Yet, slum residents continuously face enormous challenges, such as the lack of health care, sanitation, and electricity. The Places We Live includes twenty double-gatefold images, each representing an individual home and its denizen’s story. Through its innovative design and experiential approach, The Places We Live brings the modern-day Dickensian reality of these individuals into sharp focus.”

Filed under: Culture, Social Action, Technology

Twitter to singles

Here’s what’s going across the twitter wire with regards to singles:

• Singles – have you ever considered praying that God would literally shape the eyes of your future mate to love exactly who you are?
• Singles – have you ever asked Him to shape the mind of your future mate to compliment and complete you instead of mimic you?
• Single men – pony up and ask a girl out.
• Single men – treat all single ladies with respect and lead her towards God and not towards sin.
• Single men – quit hanging with girls one on one that you have no intention of pursuing just to get your emotional fix
• Single men – ACT LIKE A MAN and not a middle schooler…
• Single ladies – quit thinking that just because a guy asked you out that he wants to marry you – just stop that!
• Single ladies – stop rejecting date offers from guys just because God didn’t put a big sign over him that says, “This is THE one!”

Good stuff…

Filed under: Random

What Joshua Harris has learned since he kissed dating goodbye…

Not real sure if the college kids are still reading this book by Joshua Harris but I remember when I was in college it was the go-to book. I’ll admit – when I read it it made a lot of since but I hated the actual application of not “dating.”

However, it seems that as Josh gets older he has been rethinking the application of his book and has made his “rethoughts” known through a series of sermon messages that you can find on his site.

Interested in learning what he’s thinking now? Check it out HERE

Filed under: Book Review, Religous

Missional Ministry

I thought the fellas over at the swerve blog hit it out of the park with THIS post.

If you plan to reach the next generation for Christ, don’t ask them to believe what you believe, instead invite them to do what you do.

Beliefs are a dime a dozen. This generation has seen every variety of spiritual beliefs you could imagine (and many you couldn’t imagine).

They’re extremely turned off by people who don’t live what they claim to believe.

This generation doesn’t want to hear about what you believe. They want to see your beliefs in actions. And if you’re daring enough to live like Jesus, you’ll have a shot at reaching the next generation.

* If your version of Christianity is limited to what you’re against, you’ll not likely reach many.

* If, on the other hand, your faith is so alive you must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and love the outcasts—all in the name of Christ, the King, you will attract interest.

As strange as it might sound, if you truly live a missional and Spirit filled life, the young generation might join you and do what you do, then one day believe what you believe.

_____

On a personal note I still get frustrated at times when the older generation knee jerks against these kind of statements. I think their fear is that by saying, “if your version of Christianity is limited to what you’re against, you’ll not likely reach many” means that we, the younger generation, are bucking doctrine, absolute truth, and core values to the curb but WE ARE NOT!

I firmly believe that my generation cares about doctrine and absolute truth because it’s the basis for what drives us to action – a desire to live out the truths that have been taught to us.

I just think the younger generation has come to a place where we say, “If we are going to do this – let’s go do it!”

I like it and it refreshes me.

Filed under: Church, Culture, Personal, Reflection, Religous

Great quote

I just read this from Richard Foster the other day:

“If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship.”

Filed under: Quotes, Reflection, Religous

Slumdog Millionaire Review

Slumdog Millionaire is, without question, one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. I actually felt like it was $14 well spent when Michelle and I left the movie theatre the other day and I will probably watch it on DVD when it hits the stores.

The cinematography is awesome. The story telling is awesome. The soundtrack is fabulous. And on top of all that, it also presents some interesting possibilities of God’s role in shaping our lives.

Slumdog Millionaire is centered around approximately two days in the life of Jamal Malik, a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The catch is that Jamal, who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, is hardly the type to know the answers to the wide-variety of quiz questions. But Jamal seemingly knows the answers because of his life experiences. Why do the questions line up perfect with his life experiences? Jamal would tell you it was destiny.

For a guy who struggles with anxiety (me) – obviously a movie that tells you that everything in life is destiny is both reassuring and at the same time hard to grasp. In fact, one of my most hated phrases – especially when things were tight in seminary were, “God has a plan” and “God will provide.” Really – how? Because He’s not doing it right now…

Now don’t get me wrong – I do believe that God has a plan and that He is in control – the question is how I actually apply that information to my life or is it knowledge that has yet to translate to a heart matter – and if we are stuck in a bad spot then it’s not real reassuring that that spot is part of God’s plan.

However, the beauty of the journey is why I journal. You hear me talk about journaling a bunch and if you read here often you’ve seen posts of entries. For a guy with anxiety – I’ve got to journal because then I have a chronicle of all the highs and lows of life and how God seemingly IS faithful through it all. In going through my last two journals it just seems to make since how I landed in Norman, OK as a College Pastor at Wildwood Community Church – though there was a lot of uncertainty written between those pages along the way.

I’ve learned that God truly is in control and regardless of the situation – good or bad – we can always sit back and relax and even laugh at just knowing how it will all work out for His glory and that is good – it helps me to endure well.

Obviously the movie doesn’t attribute Jamals faith in destiny to God because it appears that Jamal is a nominal Muslim – but, regardless, I think anyone watching this movie has to have the thought go through their head about a higher power.

Jamal’s impersonal “destiny” is, of course, different from the involvement of a personal God in human lives by refusing to name a subject who created his destiny. However, I think Christians who have been obsessed with the interpretation of God’s role in personal experience—can still learn something from the wonder with which Jamal views the account of his life up to the moment of winning.

Filed under: Movie Review

Links I’ve Been Reading…

Just got back from ski trip in Winterpark – pretty sweet – you should start saving for next year!!!

Since getting back I’ve been working through a bunch of links that have fallen into my lap – thought you might be interested in a couple…happy clicking!!!

This makes me happy – Michelle is a super recycler and this would make her happy too!

New iphone software is headed our way – here’s a video clip from Apple.

Rappin flight attendant - pretty sweet because the flight is headed to OKC – Woot Woot…

1 in 50 kids in the US are homeless - should we be doing something?

If you’ve been around me long enough – you know I am a fan of the one year bible. I love it. Think its great how you have Old Testament lined up with New Testament. A little too thrifty to throw down for one – YouVersion has one via the web just for you – check it out HERE

Great post - Pharisees with Fauxhawks - read it!

You ABSOLUTELY have to check out this site!

The Holy Spirit and Korn

Filed under: Random

Jesus wants to save Christians – A Review

During my past trip to Winterpark I got a good deal of reading done which was pretty exciting for me! One of the books I wrapped up was Rob Bell’s newest work, “Jesus Wants to Save Christians.”

This is one of those books that has been sitting on the bottom shelf of my bookshelf for a bit but when I saw a couple of students reading it in a coffee shop a month or so ago I wiped off the dust and dug in.

While I am not prepared to declare Rob Bell a brilliant writer or thinker (though I do think he is highly creative and is a fascinating communicator) I do know that whoever does the artwork for his stuff is a genius. Though this book has been on my bottom shelf in a pile for several months – every time I go to grab a new one I am tempted to pull it up – the cover just does that too you…

But what about what’s in the middle? Great question.

I personally love Bells writing style – though – there will be many people who find it irritating – especially those of you who love the “classics.” I love the informal style Bell writes with. He uses a style that is similar to that found in Velvet Elvis (I’ve read) and Sex Gods (I have not read) where he follows a bloggish format of sorts. The pages have lots of white spaces and the paragraphs are often just one sentence or even

one

word.

And I like it. Easy to pick up and put down because there are so many breaks. It reads much like he preaches – you can almost envision him standing in front of you talking to you, or shall I say “conversing” with you…

I will say to anyone out there thinking about purchasing this book – beware. Anyone brave enough to give it a looksee is in for a surprise if you are holding onto your sacred cows too tightly – you know the little non-controversial values like “Christians and politics” or “Christians and war,” or “Christians and social justice” – yep – Bell hits them all. I personally enjoyed the thought process – though some will surely be offended or feel as if Bell is not treating the topics fairly.

The essence of the book is essentially a good faith attempt to articulate what the authors call a New Exodus perspective. New Exodus theology is of course not totally new, though, it will be new to many who read it. However, it’s not as if the authors are hiding this fact as in the introduction they make tribute to the work of Professor Tom Holland who teaches Theology at Wales Evangelical School of Theology and who has done a lot of research in this area.

This New Exodus perspective is simply a retelling of the tragic tale of Cain and Able which gives the authors the opportunity to suggest that this story is about all of us – somewhere East of Eden, trying to build a city and civilization outside of Paradise in a fallen world. To which I simply say, “Ain’t that the truth…” This book and it’s theology is especially about the indigenization of human fallenness in America particularly, and how our behavior as an Empire, in some ways much like the Roman Empire, is a particular manifestation of what is deeply wrong with the human society, something which is more like the behavior of Cain, than Abel.

And therefore, we are continually on the verge of exile.

However, I will say that one of the things I truly enjoy about Bell is his attempt to do theology out of the Grand Narrative or the meta-narrative of the Bible. He does a great job of simply looking at the whole of Scripture and how it plays out and applying the whole, not the parts, to our lives – I think there is great insight that can be gained by looking at the parts as a whole instead of just seperate parts.

In the end, these are two young men who believe passionately in the whole Gospel for the whole person in the world and I am always for that!

Filed under: Book Review

Back from Ski Trip.

That’s right – back in the saddle after spending last week in Winterpark, CO with the college life posse – man was it a great time!

Here are some of the highlights of the trip for me:

• Being amazed by God in His Creation. I love it – it just flat out refreshes me. There’s something about growing up in Dallas that I really feel like I missed – the fact that I look at buildings, skyscrapers, huge highways and glory in the creation of man. Getting away to Colorado helps me to glory in the Creation of God.
• It was awesome that we could squeeze all our college guys in a condo and all our college ladies in a condo – I like tight proximity because I truly believe that’s where relationships are grown.
• Mark Robinson led us in a devotional for two nights on some “mountain tops” that Elijah was on. It was awesome – I love hearing Mark teach – pretty creative and interactive guy. It’s always hard for me to focus on what he’s talking about because I’m making mental observations of his style of teaching – highly relational.
• Ate at Hernandos pizza as you can see from the pic above – if you are ever in Winterpark – this is the place to eat!
• Eric Miller sent me a text one morning that reads – “I love you so much and can’t wait to see you at lunch.” – It was really sweet – even though it wasn’t meant for me or…was it…
• Thought taking the vans was cool – maybe think of a wait to switch out whose in what van during the trip just to mix the flavor up.
• My wife was awesome! She couldn’t ski because she is pregnant which made her sad but she held down the fort and the bottom of the mountain and helped out a ton with injuries. I love her very much

Lots of good stuff and good times – can’t wait for next year – Crested Butte here we come!!!! Wahooo!!!

Filed under: Personal, Reflection

Punched in the Gut.

Brennan Manning punched me in the gut last night as I was re-reading Ruthless Trust.

Brennan wrote:

“The great weakness in the North American church at large, and certainly in my life, is our refusal to accept our brokenness. We hide it, evade it, gloss over it. We grab for the cosmetic kit and put on our virtuous face to make ourselves admirable to the public. Thus, we present to others a self that is spiritually together, superficially happy, and lacquered with a sense of self-depricating humor that passes for humility. The irony is that while I do not want anyone to know that I am judgemental, lazy, vulnerable, screwed up, and afraid, for fear of losing face, the face that I fear losing is the mask of the impostor, not my own.”

Filed under: Church, Personal, Quotes, Reflection, Religous

Whats wrong with us.

I openly admit that before you even get into this post that I have no answers but these thoughts have been plaguing me over the last couple of weeks as I have been digging into the Apostle Paul’s prayers throughout the New Testament.

So here goes…hold onto your seat:

• Why is it that churches in America compete with each other?
• Why are we happy when a church down the street doesn’t do well
• Why are we upset when a new church starts in our area?
• Why are we good at talking about each others flaws but not so good at helping and partnering with each other?
• Why do we not challenge the art of church hopping?
• Why do we let neighborhood churches die?

All tough questions and all questions that I wish I had the answer to. I firmly believe that as we begin to look at different churches within the same denominational context that we begin to see a more well rounded view of God. I think that’s a good thing. I also believe that as churches decide what their missions are we see different ways that God loves on the world – some churches are committed to local outreach, some churches are committed to global outreach, some churches are committed to poverty, some to those with handicaps – God loves all of that.

I wonder though – if churches have the same mission within the same proximity if partnership between the two could happen. Think of what you could accomplish with double the resources instead of each of the churches doing their own separate things.

I love Paul’s heart for the unified church.

Filed under: Church, Personal, Reflection

Facebook for Old Fogies?

I just came across this article on Time.com the other day, though it was written some time ago (Feb. 12 to be exact).

Pretty interesting take on how facebook has seemingly taken off with an older generation of people (40s +).

The article gives 9 good reasons but you’ll have to click HERE to read it!

Filed under: Random, Technology

The Least of These.

I came across the below post somewhere at sometime but I’m not sure where it came from but I saved it for later reflecting – that time is now and hopefully you will reflect with me.

God is Shuffling Along

He didn’t lift his feet, he slid them, as if skating on the concrete sidewalk.

Maybe he was old, but I couldn’t tell because he looked like a cave man, and it’s hard to read a cave man’s age.

Eyes looked out from sunken pools in his head, down at the ground where he shuffled.

And wild, long hair stuck out from all directions on his head. Some of it was matted.

I don’t know if he had lips. His beard had crept up his cheekbones almost to his eyes and crawled back down his face, past his neck, until it disappeared into his ragged coat.

From behind the wildness he mumbled.

I think he must have been saying, “Someone help me. God is in here somewhere, but no one can’t find him no more ‘cause he’s all crusted over and hid.”

God is Running Scared

Something was chasing him from up in the sky. Demons I guess.

He ran with a look of terror, and I thought in this heat that can’t be healthy because he’s old.

He was panting and sweating and grunting in terror.

He tripped, lost his balance and touched the ground with his hand. He didn’t fall, just stumbled and kept running.

Good thing, because I’ll bet those things in the sky chasing him might have caught up to him.

When he ran past I looked up to see what was terrifying him, trying to run him down so mercilessly.

Just blue skies. ‘Cept maybe those things from his memory. Demons from some war. Vietnam? Korea? Boyhood abuse?

I don’t know. But they had him running scared.He was too scared to talk, but I think he probably would have said, “Someone help me. God’s prints ha’ been swallowed up by all this fright and that terrible thing what happened to me long ago.”

Jesus Likes the Big Mac Value Meal

I once prayed walking to the McDonald’s in Santa Monica, “Jesus, I’d like to have supper with you.”

I stepped up to the counter to order and I saw him.

He was really skinny and ragged, but he did have that long hair, beard and mustache I had always imagined. Though I never imagined the body odor.

He was ordering just a cup of water.

“Would you like something other than water?” I asked.

“Sure.” He said. “I’ll have a Big Mac Value Meal. It’s number one.”

I knew this guy was Jesus because when we sat down to eat together he said right away, “You know, I’m sorta like Jesus. ‘The foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.”

I smiled.

“I have schizophrenia” he said, which is something I never knew about Jesus.

After dinner we tried to find him help, but it’s hard to help someone like that.

He’s alienated himself from everybody because he gets spooked by people easily.

“You can’t get close enough to see Jesus in me.” He says as he slips away, throwing me a suspicious glance. “He’s hidden here, and I don’t want no one to steal him.”

Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you mentally ill and shuffling or scared or hungry, and did not take care of you?’

Matthew 25:45 (NRSV)

Filed under: Church, Culture, Reflection, Religous, Social Action

More thoughts on Words.

In reference to yesterdays post on “words” – here are a couple of GREAT quotes on the use of words:

• If someone were to pay you 10 cents for every kind word you ever spoke and collect from you 5 cents for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor? – Author Unkown
• Speak when you are angry – and you will make the best speech you’ll ever regret – Laurence J. Peter
• Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are endless – Mother Theresa
• By swalling evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach – Sir Winston Churchill
• Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complane – and most fools do. – Dale Carnegie
• Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing – Proverbs 12:18
• Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul, health to the bones. – Proverbs 16:24
• Death and life are in the power of the tongue – Proverbs 18:21
• You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise and not curse – Phillippians 4:8
• We will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word spoken – Matthew 12:36

I pray that God would continue to help me guard my tongue and others from my tongue as it is so powerful.

Filed under: Reflection, Religous

Tools of the Trade

I love it when people post the tools that they are using to help them accomplish various tasks in both their personal and business life – so I figured – why not jump on the bandwagon myself??

So here are the tools that I use on a daily basis:

Computer: Mackbook Pro

Web Browser: Firefox

Firefox Plugins I use daily: readitlater and twitterbar

Cell Phone: iPhone 3g

Iphone Apps that I use daily: vlingo, tweetie, facebook, evernote, theweatherchannel, USAToday, & NYTimes

Music: iTunes shuffle all

Task Management: Evernote

Social Networking: Twitter with the twitter plugin to facebook

Twitter Desktop Client: Tweetdeck

Video Chat: Skype

Identity Protection: Lifelock (though I will not put my social on the side of a truck)

Personal Finances: Mint

Blogging Desktop Client: Ecto

URL Shortner: TinyURL

Videos: Vimeo

Photos: Flickr

Email: Apple Mail (though I am desperately trying to switch to google but I can’t handle the loss of folders)

Bible Software: Logos for Mac

Filed under: Personal, Random, Technology

Healing Words.

Sometimes it’s just so hard to say words that are important and powerful for both us and others.

But…often times, healing & restoration will only come through these little phrases or words.

Here are a couple of phrases that God has really trying to get me to be more intentional about getting them out of heart and through my mouth.

1. I’m sorry.

2. I was wrong.

3. You’re right.

4. Please forgive me.

5. How can I improve?

6. I don’t know.

7. What do you think?

8. I’m listening.

9. Let’s pray.

10. I love you.

Here’s the key (and in my opinion the hard part) is to do it with no manipulation and/or cynicism. To really mean it – to look the person in the eyes – and, patiently receive their response.

It’s also important to say them without attachments. Michelle taught me early in our marriage that I had the tendency to apologize conditionally. Essentially meaning that most of my apologize came with an explanation of why I did what I did – to Michelle – it didn’t matter why I did it but for me to admit that I was wrong and to apologize for my action.

I group these words in the category of Christ’s continual transformation that is taking place in my soul. The truth is that I think most of us instinctively put ourselves first and try to protect ourselves but Christ’s calls us to die to ourselves and put others first. SO DIFFICULT. But – as we continually push into the person of Christ – I believe change WILL happen.

Relationships require deliberate, loving and proactive work – yeah, WORK. It’s not enough to just say these things, but we must communicate them from our hearts – in order to reveal a sincere desire for change, healing and restoration.

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the

tongue of the wise brings healing.” Prov. 12:18.

Filed under: Personal, Reflection

Buy an English Village!

Ever wanted to own an English Village?? Now you can – though it will probably take more than a couple of change jars that you and your buddies have laying around…

You can now buy this entire village for a measly £22.5 million – let me know if you make a stab at it as you will owe me a small relator fee….just sayin…

You can see the full story HERE

Filed under: Random

Back in the Saddle.

Hey guys and gals out there – sorry for the two week sabbatical from blogging!!  Two weeks ago I headed to Moscow with Mike Beckham (OU’s Crusades Director) and this week was devoted to all things catch up – which did not include blogging.

I wanted to share briefly about my trip. It was flat out AWESOME! I had so much fun hanging with Mike, visioning with Mike, dreaming with Mike, and just talking about ministry with Mike along with having the opportunity to find out, see, and be involved with what God is doing in Moscow through the team who is faithfully serving there. I am so PUMPED about the partnership in years to come – I truly believe that Wildwoods College Ministry can play a BIG part in reaching the students in Moscow.

A couple of takeaways from the trip:

• It was cold. At first it bothered me but then I got used to it and to be honest – as long as it snows when it’s cold I’m good to go – it’s the cold without snow that bothers me…think Oklahoma or Texas winter.
• Moscow is super urban – reminds me a lot of New York City. Has a large transit system which makes doing ministry, in my opinion, easier because it gives you access to all parts of the city instead of having to have a vehicle to get to and from places.
• The Crusade staff in Moscow have designated 90 key college campus’s that they are trying to focus in on. They are hoping to have student movements started on 9 of those campus’s by the end of this year! I love that they can vision and go after it!
• I truly believe that Moscow could potentially be the next Asia. I have a friend who was serving in Asia probably 10 years back when nothing was happening – he talked about how hard it was to plant the roots and to raise up people to go. Now, thanks to some strategic partnerships with churches and crusade – Asia is EXPLODING! In fact, they are starting to hand the ministry over to nationals and nationals are sending people – how stinking exciting is that? I think Moscow has this potential. Right now there are TONS of students to reach in Moscow- just not enough people to share the gospel with them. Laborers are needed and hopefully Wildwood and OU Crusade can play a part in raising up students and plowing and planting the soil in Moscow, Russia. Front in ground work stuff gets my blood flowing!
• Most importantly, Crusades long term team in Russia want to be there and they have hearts that breathe to reach students in Moscow. While at first you would think that that should be normal but the truth is, I’ve been several places where the long term staff are there because somehow they just got planted there – not because their heart was there. The difference between the two really is HUGE. If you have people who want to be there then they will go the distance with you and dream big with you – I like that! Let’s shoot the moon!!!

That pretty much sums it up – if you haven’t figured it out – I am pretty stoked about this opportunity!

If you are interested in some of the pics I took – you can find them HERE

Filed under: OU, Personal