I am sitting at my desk. To my right is a stuffed bunny--of the "Peter Rabbit" variety. If this were LOST right now, there'd be some cool underscoring of music and I'd be flashing back in time a couple of weeks.

It had been a really, REALLY awful couple of days. Details aren't necessary. Just trust me in saying that the Satan was really finding joy in my brokenness. After a long day, it was time for Sheryl and me to put the kids into bed. As is our routine, we took turns laying on the girls' beds and as I settled into Ella's bed she asked me how I was doing. Kids are very perceptive.

I told her, "I'm kind of having a hard time today, honey."

She replied, "I know, daddy. I can tell," and gave me a big hug. Then, Ella reached over next to her pillow and picked up her Peter Rabbit and kissed it. She handed it to me and said, "Daddy, I want you to have this. You can keep it for as long as you need to. You can even sleep with it."

I had tears streaming down my face. Ella is a very loving child. But, this felt more like the hand of God through Ella. I took the bunny. I sat it on our bed and felt the comfort, the power, and the absolute beauty of a child-like heart of compassion.

The next day I tucked "Peter" into my computer bag...Ella checked just to make sure... and carried him to the office where he sits on my desk as a reminder of God's mercy in my life.

As I have contemplated God's presence this afternoon, I have been comforted by these words of Jesus: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

God reminds me...He's near.

Bridges, Trolls, and People

When I was a kid I remember the story of the 3 Billy Goat's Gruff. In the story the goats had to cross a bridge where a "troll" lived. The troll was mean, scary, and wanted to eat the goats. I learned as a child that trolls and monsters lived under bridges and we never went there in the dark.

As I grew, bridges and overpasses became a place of refuge on a long road run. We would take shelter under the bridge if we were caught in a heavy Midwest/Missouri rain while on a 10 mile run. People would be fishing under the bridges and sometimes we would see people camping or living in that safe spot. Most of the bridges I saw were out in the country but I never saw "trolls or monsters." Just people looking for safety and shelter.

We have had some folks visit Agape in the last couple weeks. One of them filled out the visitor card and put "homeless" for the address. I asked where they stayed and they told me one of the bridges in Portland, and they told me which one. He smiled and I said I will come find you this week.

So I did. I got off the MAX at China Town and began looking under the bridges. I saw many people sleeping and trying to find shelter. I found our visitors who smiled and said, "We almost gave up on you." We went to breakfast and talked about life, God, baptism, pre-marital counseling, and why they like Agape. We hugged, prayed, and shared about families, finding a safe place, and helping others. These are giving people, real people, and people who love God. Some struggle with a worlview of hopelessness, addictions, and despair. Others provide hope and support. They are a community of people in God's image. No monsters, no trolls, just children of our Creator.

They brought friends to Agape and we had 62. There was a lot of excitement and they shared with me that they feel accepted and supported. WOW! God is working.

So Lori and I will visit this week with our boys. I hope our sons hear these stories about bridges, not the ones I heard!

Why Not Gather at the River?

August 30 was the date of our second baptism at Agape Church of Christ. It has been almost a year since the first one, but with the launch of this new church 3 months ago, we are seeing many more studying to put on Jesus. We met at a state park along the Columbia River in Washington. It is interesting that this has been a popular place to hang out since Lewis and Clark made this their last stop along the river.
A popular hangout? In my many years of baptizing people, and watching others baptize, I realized that most of the baptisms were in a baptistery. How private! I don’t just mean a few people gathering to see a baptism, I mean a private “Christians only party.” God forbid anyone who doesn't believe see this sacred event. Besides--they wouldn't appreciate this anyway.

The folks ahead of us picked a spot way down the river. I was wondering why we weren’t by the place where everyone gathered. I started talking to a young couple about their 2 week old baby and the conversation turned to why I was there. It was obvious that God had placed us there because the father was talking about religious things—you know, how he smokes pot, loves Jesus, and can’t find a church. The more we talked the more he wanted to know about God’s love, why we came there to baptize, and why a minister would give a pot smoker the time of day. “Can I come watch her get baptized?” he said?



I made the long trek to the baptism site which was somewhat isolated. In spite of this, God was good and the couple, their baby, and 3 family members came to see the baptism. As usual a conversation happened with our group, the woman about to be baptized, and the visitors. It was beautiful. How often does someone share their faith and their reception of God’s love immediately before they are baptized? Our visitors cheered, joined us for cake and ice cream, and became teary eyed when I told them how God’s love was shown in Jesus. Even better, three other young people, after witnessing the baptism, came over to ask who we were. As they carried their beer cans one told us about her church home as a teenager.

Why not gather at the river? What an opportunity to teach, witness, and show the power of God. I always feel great at a baptism, but this time I saw firsthand that people still seek God. Too often we are busy avoiding people, celebrating the private Christians Only party, or thinking that beer drinkers and pot smokers don’t have a soul. Yet it is in the quiet places on the river where people ask questions about God. It is in the quiet places on the river we find where people rejoice in the simple act of baptism. It is in the quiet places on the river where the kingdom is revealed.

Should we avoid the public display of rebirth? Only if we wish to avoid conversations about Jesus.

Isn’t baptism a private event? Only if you let it be!

We Think We Know Jesus ....

... but do we?

I blogged about Jesus for a month. Visitors to my site dwindled. Comments shrank and grew fewer.

We think we know the Son of God, Lord and Savior, Master and Friend, Teacher and Rabbi.

But the more we look at Him, the more blurred and muddled our stereotypical picture of Him becomes.

He defies our analyses. He explodes our myths. He refuses to fit our boxes. He will not remain in our tombs.

He says things that provoke us. Things we cannot, try as we might, fully comprehend.

He speaks an eternal language, and though He simplifies with story, the complete meaning simply eludes us.

Even when He asks His closest friends who they think He is, most of them struggle.

One of them has help with the answer.

Can we ever be so confident that we know Him and what He would want us to do/not do/say/not say/live/not live that we no longer seek; no longer ask; no longer knock?

There has never been a time in my life when I felt like I knew all the answers about Jesus. I knew people who thought they did. I was flat-out jealous of them (and a little bit guilty for that envy). I honestly thought they might.

But I don't anymore.

If they had, they could have made billions writing books that would have outsold even Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew - and I'm pretty sure he's got a better grasp of the character, in many ways, than I do.

What are some things you were sure you knew about Jesus ... concepts that time has capsized and sunk?

LIFE ON THE FARM: Our Puppies Can See

Now, I have nothing against other dog breeds, but I’m certain that our Golden Retrievers, besides being man’s best friend, are categorically the best dogs on the earth. First, they’re beautiful. Second, they’re intelligent. Third, they are compliant (Labrador and Poodle owners eat your hearts out!). Fourth, they’re profitable.

A good portion of my oldest son’s college education has been paid through the sales of ‘golden’ retriever puppies. Harding University Faculty owes a portion (probably a very small portion) of their income to our Goldens, and the marble staircase in the new addition to the old Heritage Center was likely funded (in large part) through our golden pups. But, there is more. Our Goldens have also provided us with a treasure more valuable than dollars. They’ve given us insight into a truth….The Truth.

The farm teaches many lessons which find counterpart in the unseen. Our puppies’ eye-opening experience is an example. The third day of their lives is monumental….it’s the day their eyes open. From then on, our puppies can see.

Before this time, they live in darkness. Other senses serve in place of sight. Mom is known through the smell of her breath, the feel of her tongue, the taste of her milk, the sound of her bark. Straw bedding has no color, no shape, nothing to which it can be compared other than Mom and darkness. For three days these cute little bundles scoot and crawl along on their tummies in total sightlessness…then comes day three.

Sudanese soldiers rape young Darfurian women, and then bite them to leave a scar. The scar will last, so these young girls will never be married. In Appalachia, nine year old boys fill summer nights with raunchy pornographic videos and erase their innocence. Teens pop pills for fun, girls exchange purity for popularity, men cheat and retreat, politicians spin. People, like blind puppies, scoot, crawl, and grope their way through life. Wouldn’t we pity puppies were their eyes not to open? What then of people?

Encouraging news. Light may still come. People navigating the dark in their lives often feel that life holds more than has yet become clear. It comes as a hunger that is not satisfied by what is first believed will fill it; or as a thirst for a sweeter existence. It isn't easily explained, or even clearly pictured, though it's strongly and deeply felt. Something senses that "it" is a reality.

The smell of milk wafts about a liter of puppies and they know she is near. Intangibles encircling us too: like a never forgotten kindness that portends the reality of something that isn’t hate filled or self-seeking; like the the hollow in a heart; like the failure to find true satisfaction, the an inexplicable (maybe even unwanted) attraction to spiritual things. Confusion, guilt, love, emptiness, grief, longing, peace, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, brokenness….they are blurry images….but of what? What are we not seeing?

On the third day, Jesus rose. The women and His disciples saw him. Their hearts had burned, but then their eyes were opened and everything was different from that day forward. Purpose, position, power, loss and gain, sacrifice, weakness, popularity, poverty, suffering, ridicule, death…everything made sense. Despair turned to joy; hardship to blessing. What had been meaningless became profoundly significant. Their eyes were open, at last, and life took on a form that wasn’t at all what they’d imagined.


“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” --Ephesians 1:18-19


Lord, bring day three. Open the eyes of our heart that we may see, really see, what we have felt was there, what we have longed for, what has been our companion since the start, what we sense is willing to be seen…if our eyes are open. Let us see Man’s True Best Friend. Amen.

Things that make you go Hummmm--er....

I've been noticing a lot of the new Toyota Hybrid cars in Brentwood. I think that's cool. I really would love to get a hybrid when my car finally dies. It's paid off, has 135,000 miles and sounds like an airplane. But--I have a car.

Truth be known, I like cars. A LOT. I could really be into owning cars--but then there's that whole extravagance thing. It's really hard not to want to go into major debt so I can drive the kind of car I really want. My taste in cars varies. I would love to drive a Mercedes convertible. But...I'd also like to drive a retro VW van...orange, please.

We're in a series here on Sunday mornings at Otter Creek called "Our money, God's Business". It's convicting. Really, REALLY convicting. Last week we had a drama where a couple was trying to pay off one credit card by signing up for another one while in the same breath buying a new boat. Welcome to our consumer driven lifestyle.

Isn't there a reason Jesus spoke so much about money? Isn't there are a reason why people get so defensive when the topic comes up? If we wore our financial records on our sleeves for the world to see, would it be a testimony to God...or to ourselves? (I am NOT ready to do that--and am talking mostly to myself here.)

What I see more than Hybrids around this neighborhood are Hummers. And when I see them I do frequently have to comment out loud... "Hmmm." It's mainly curiosity. What do those people do? How can they spend in gas what I probably spend on my mortgage? What are those things good for (besides looking really, really cool)?

Rob Bell has a DVD called "Rich" that speaks to our consumer driven lives. We're playing it this Sunday. He says that we are depleting the Earth of resources faster than it can replenish them. It is troubling. And It makes me think that we should re-think the words to "Jesus, Lover of My Soul"...and apply them to all of life and not just that "holy" hour on Sunday.

It's all about You, Jesus
And all this is for You
For Your glory and Your fame
It's not about me
As if You should do things my way
For You alone are God
And I surrender to Your ways.

Entertainment or Engagement?

This is a picture of Pioneer Courthouse Square. This place is a popular hangout for downtown Portlandians. I also hear that it is the hangout for homeless/runaway teens. Some have reported that Portland has the highest teen runaway drug rate in the country, and of course, many of the kids are here.

I have been going downtown to meet some of the kids and get to know them. I will take some to lunch and talk about their lives, God, etc. Last week I met 4 young people and had a great visit at Carls Jr. Interesting. They feel safe, are enjoying Portland, and feel church is not for them.

So here we are trying to reach young people. Some tell me young people only want entertainment in church. But is it entertainment or engagement? Is the church trying to entertain or trying to engage others?

I had one of the older men, who hands out God Loves You Cards and preaches at the kids tell me, "When are you going to come down here and preach at them?" I noticed that there is a group of older men who preach "fire and brimstone" to the people. "That's not my way man," I told him. "I would rather go down and visit with the people." "Well," he said, "if you get past the orange throwing and egg throwing, its not so bad." It is interesting that the street preachers preach at the kids who already are beat down. Yet across the street is one of the wealthiest shopping malls in Oregon--no one goes there to preach.

Once again, is the problem that the church has to entertain, or is it that we need to engage?

I would have to say that the last 2 weeks have been very eye opening. Those crazy college students hit me again. They are like the dream police (remember the Cheap Trick song). They inspire Lori and I do take risks and try to learn to love unconditionally. Although we are not completely there, we are learning.

I have taken some of the homeless folks and couples out to lunch while at Pioneer square. One came to Agape a couple weeks ago.

You know, when you eat lunch with someone, instead of giving a few dollars, you learn a lot about them. It helps to talk with them to and ask them about their life. I am learning empathy and compassion. I'm sure some stories are bogus, but I believe much of what I hear. People are broken but hope seems to live inside so many young people. They are appreciative but somehow they realize that people are generous, God is good, and they will not starve to death.

They are humans, in the image of God. Worthy of respect, even if it is only a Big Mac. Some believe, some want to, others are simply angry.

So those crazy college students and that Irresistable Revolution keep haunting me. Maybe its because I used to believe like that--but I learned from those who were leaders, those I were told to respect, and those who said we could trust them that it couldn't be done. I came to believe that experience was greater than faith (it is actually worldy wisdom according to Paul in 1 Cor. 1). Those who weren't doing suddenly spoke with authority. So I followed, believed, and quit doing. Maybe I called others to quit and fall in line.

God--thank you for sending the prophets, the faithful, the youths, the idealists. May we take risks, believe that love will win out, and give as you give. May we earn the respect and right to lead this younger generation by our radical love and compassion.

Those Crazy College Kids

Sunday a couple of our college students from Cascade College brought two folks from Dignity Village. Dignity Village is a transitional tent community that is becoming a city, within Portland, for homeless people. Those crazy college kids have no boundaries, no fear, and no desire to spiritually die as many of us already have.

Lori and I spent 3 hours at Dignity Village today (whenever you visit Agape, we visit you). What a blessing. What a wonderful group of people. What hearts. They spoke of the college students with a smile and shining face. Seems that these kids every Wednesday pool their money, make a Taco Bell run, and bring tacos to the community. They called them the taco girls (isn't it interesting how historically females have had this heart for the poor--sometimes males do but less often). We were humbled.

Lori and I left talking so much about what we were wanting to do. We want to bless these folks and want so much to listen to their stories, their community, and their reflections about God. Yet, we are indebted to the students who continually show us what it means to be like Jesus. I went away with some sounder conclusions:

1) I love Lori more and more every day. She beams when talking to the people and is so comfortable with anyone. I know that we will always be a team and love visiting with people together.
2) Our boys are going to love going with us to help in whatever way we can.
3) College students are not idealistic--they are courageous. If we want to lead them we had better be too.
4) I was taught that hard work brought success and financial stability. This is a lie, sometimes things happen and you lose it all, no matter how hard you have worked and saved.
5) Jesus has spoken to me through the Bible, a book called the Irresistable Revolution, and a group of college females who love people as we should.

My prayers are that Agape will be able to lead these kids when they return for the Fall. My prayers are that Agape will minister to Dignity Village with love and compassion and learn from them the wonderful lessons of community, support, and human courage.

Houston We Don't Have a Problem

Thank you to all of our supporters and those praying for us. There is so much to say, and so many emotions running through our minds and hearts at this time. God is good and we are excited to officially be in Portland as a new church.

You can visit our website www.missionagape.com to pull up the Powerpoint presentation of our first worship service. Sorry--I don't know how to copy the link here!

Summary:
105 people attended
12 visitors attended the after worship session to discuss home communities
4 responses from the area due to our mailout
Many responses stating they will return Sunday, even to help come early to setup
20 people who were looking for a church home attended
The Custodian continues to attend and came over for lunch
2 people ready to attend Core Values class
All 5 home communities will be full in the next couple weeks
This comment from one of the visitors in the nearby apartment complex. He emailed Brad Barbarick, one of our home group leaders...

Brad - It was nice talking with you today. I'm still in a state of shock. I just can't fully come to grips with fact that a church is
meeting in the cafeteria at Lincoln High School. This is a blessing! I will be attending regularly. Look forward to talking with you again.

Core Team did an excellent job and made contacts during the egg hunt and the worship.
Launch team did an excellent job getting us ready.
Park Plaza team did an excellent job helping us get ready. We had 20 show up to help us prepare and follow up. What a wonderful group of brothers and sisters. We strengthened our relationships and developed strong spiritual bonds. They worked very hard and encouraged us greatly.
Kairos Church Planting has once again prepared a church to launch and begin a new work in a city hurting and seeking relationship with God.

I could go on but the pictures say it all.

Please keep us in prayer as we continue our outreach this week.

Life On The Farm: Ruin, Roots, & Recovery

I walked the mountain this morning and made a discovery. A few weeks ago a series of small, but potentially large, fires burned in the forest near and on our farm. Today I found where fire breaks had been cut by the forest service and walked the length of one.

Powerful, indiscriminating equipment left a swath of crushed rock, raked bark, ripped earth and twisted saplings. The forest’s beauty was gashed, bruised and battered. The saplings appeared to suffer the worst, but from them I learned the most.

They are recovering. Though the limbs were ripped from them, though the bark was skinned away, though they were knocked to the ground and trampled by enormous weights and forces…they’re recovering…resprouting from the root.

New limbs have begun to bud. In a few weeks, they’ll be launching sunward, producing leaves and seeds. The damaged parts will eventually die, though removing them altogether would be most healing. No, these saplings will never quite be what they were intended, but they’ll survive and they’ll thrive. People can too.

Bull dozer size events bowl over children, innocents, good people. They’re trashed by some maniac driven by the fire of Hell. In a moment of unconcern, he rakes across them without discrimination, and leaves smashed, scratched, and shattered lives. The wounds are deep. Irrevocable. Why are beautiful lives battered? How do they recover?

I believe the saplings demonstrate the cure. They start at their roots. Who we are is not dictated by what happens on the surface, but by our connections in the deep hidden center. Find the source of your life and you’ll find the strength for its recovery and renewal. “I am the…life,” said Jesus. Scripture says about God, “In him we live and move and have our being.”

The scars, the twists, the wounds don’t define who you are. Cut them off. Draw on God. God loves, nourishes, feeds, cares and shapes. Reach for the Son. Pursue his will and ways with all your heart. Focus, as everyone should, on things above.

Just as it was never God’s plan for bull dozers to level the forest, he never had in mind that we should be hurt. But Evil exists, and people are pulverized. Like rich soil, God is near, able to nourish recovery, deliver life and produce new discoveries every morning.

Is It Really A Sacrifice?

Photo by Craig Volpe

Today is our monthly day of fasting and prayer from our Agape Church plant team. One of the things that today does for us is to remind us that we can easily get into a routine. This morning I can't tell you how many times I almost put something in my mouth--leftover breakfast from the boys, a granola bar, pieces of cereal, that fruit that might as well be thrown out. It reminds me that I have been doing something the same way for 30 days. Today is change. Today is different. Today is out of my normal routine. Today I conciously make a decision to be different. Some would question why we would give up freedom--for only a few hours. Will it really make a difference? Why change the way I usually do things? Why--for a goal, a cause, a committment. To reach people I don't know, have never met, and who think differently than me.

Is it uncomfortable?
Is it abnormal?
Is it strange?
Is it Biblical?

But fasting and church planting/evangelism are the same. They are a concious choice to do something that is not part of my normal routine. They are a willingness to say, "I'm tired of watching others starve spiritually and I will make the sacrifice to change that." Yes it is a small sacrifice--but it is also a willingness to alter a routine.

Wireless?

I love all the wireless technology that is out there. Portland is wireless, McMenamins is wireless, Starbucks is wireless (not free of course), our house is wireless, most hotels are wireless, and airports are wireless. I hear that God is the original pioneer in wireless cdommunication. It is great being able to get a connection anywhere without wires, cords, or cables.

Yet for all the wireless technology we have in the 21st Century, those Little People play sets have more wires than the rest of the country. Oh yeah, at first I liked it. “Hey,” I thought, “plastic coated wires—I can use these to tie up cables rather than those bread twist ties that break easily. These are eve better than rubber bands.” So I thought until last Christmas when every toy was “Little People.” Fortunately I was given a pair of wire cutters for Christmas, which I opened first, and was able to easily disassemble the wires that held each people, part, and object in the package. I remember mentioning this in my sermon last year and wondering why Fisher Price worried about people stealing each part of the product. Were they thinking someone would steal a “Little Person” out of each package?

Someone came up after the sermon and claimed that the product was made in Taiwan and they wanted to make sure that everything stayed in exactly the same position in the overseas shipment. Sounded good to me.

So here we are in Kansas City at the Plaza staying in a hotel. Lori’s dad has been in ICU for 5 days and Santa had to find us at a hotel in the Plaza. Here I was without my wire cutters. Even worse, now they put glue on the end of the wires, after they twist tie them 150 times, so that my fingers are raw from pulling the glue off. Don’t tell me they do this to keep the people in the same position in the package. It’s a toy; for crying out loud. Pablo and Uniqua stand in an imaginary boat, and all they do is go in for a snack when the ship sinks.

My solution—I think they do this to mess with us. Sure they are not charging a lot for the toy and I give them that. So how do they get even, they make parents rub their fingers raw while the kids are saying—“Is it ready yet?” Then we go to the next toy and work that one. Sadly, most of our kids play with them for 5 minutes and then spend the next hour playing with the wrapping paper or the cardboard box. I think I am ready for a nap by the end of the day, not them.

Next year—Fisher Price—please be like the rest of the world and go “wireless”!

Merry Christmas to all the frustrated parents out there. Be glad we have fingers, wires, and each other.

John the Baptist

A lot of Christians, according to the Advent calendar, talk about John the Baptist this week.

I remember the day John the Baptist showed up in Dewey Church of Christ when I was a teenager. We joked about it after he'd left, that we thought he'd gotten beheaded and where was the scar?

As I reflect on that weird experience of standing in the lobby talking to "John the Baptist," I wonder how many odd people remind us of Jesus. Even in his day John the Baptist was a quack in the eyes of many. He alienated the religious leaders, called them snakes. He stuck his nose in Herod's allies-and-additional-wife program, suggesting his allegiances and indulgences were far from God's desire. Still, soldiers, the crowds, and tax collectors asked him, "What should we do?" For each he had practical spiritual answers. Have two coats, give away one. Stop extorting money from civilians. Be satisfied with your pay and don't charge ursury and exorbitant fees.

John the Baptist dressed weird: camel skins. He ate weird: locus and honey. Although, I've eaten handfuls of locus in Uganda, honey is a beautiful food, and mohair is still popular today.

Yet for all his off-the-wall prophetic oddness, John the Baptist got it, and he knew Jesus was the one who should be washing him in the Jordan River. It was John who witnessed one of the most beautiful moments in the story and life of Jesus, when the Spirit came down on them and God the Father said, "I'm proud of you, my son." And when John got discouraged in prison and sent messengers to ask Jesus, was he really the one, Jesus sent loving assurance that what John had preached was indeed the truth, that Jesus was the One and that the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised, the poor have good news preached to them, and then he added a blessing for him and all who would not reject God in this moment (Matthew 11:5-6).

So all this gets me thinking about that guy who came to church one day years ago. I don't remember what time of year it was, but maybe it was this week of that year. Maybe John the Baptist had come to visit, and maybe we just didn't have ears to hear.

I'm filling in the high school class in my church on Wednesday nights for a while. Last night I challenged the students to have ears to hear those who are a bit odd or uncool or wearing mohair, sucking on a bit-o-honey who might be announcing the arrival of Jesus in their lives, calling them to make their path straight. Some have closed their ears to their out-of-touch parents, others are seized by bitterness, others may be listening but have hearts that, like those snakes John shouted at by the river, need to be softened.

What do I need to repent of today? What's John the Baptist calling me to prepare for, to make straight, to right in my life? How would John the Baptist respond to your question, "What should we do?"

Perhaps it's to make it through this season without going into debt. Then keep track of your money you spend on Christmas. Next year you tithe that to a charity or just give $100 or $500 to people you know in need. And perhaps you need to spend 2007 getting to know someone in need. If you don't know someone you can help who is need, you are blind and avoiding the realities around you. You need to repent and open your eyes and ears. Christmas is a good season to start.

Wisdom, Jesus says (Matthew 11:19), is proved right by what it does.

Disciples of Christ elect chairman

Disciples of Christ Historical Society announced today that its Board of Trustees has elected Dr. Raymond Brown to serve as Chair of the Board for 2007-08. He becomes the first African-American to hold that position in the 65 year history of DCHS.

Dr. Brown studied at Jarvis Christian College and Drake University. Now retired, he and his wife Suzanne are members of Downey Avenue Christian Church (DOC) in Indianapolis.

Over a long and fruitful career, Dr. Brown served in numerous posts, but has always remained a pastor at heart. Among his many ministries were his leadership role at Church Extension (Senior Vice President) and an interim at the helm of Disciples Home Missions.

Already a member of the DCHS Board, as Chair, Dr. Brown will oversee new programming and initial stages of restoration to the historic T.W. Phillips Memorial, home of the Society in Nashville, Tennessee.

Disciples of Christ Historical Society is a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and also serves Churches of Christ and Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. Glenn Thomas Carson is president.

Are Babies Sinners?

This news article hit close to home. When I went to church as a child it was one that believed infants should be baptized because they were born with "original sin" (the sin of Adam). I was sprinkled as an infant but questioned the teaching in college. I was baptized at 21 because I was convinced that sin was a choice I made--and believe me I did a lot of it. I remember studying with my old minister back in Marshall, MO. We studied Ezekiel 18:20 which suggests that children will not be punished for their parent's sin--but for their own. He said, "Wow, that's the first time I really looked at this verse that way. However I am too old to change but will pray about it."

While we were not Catholic I wonder if he is thinking what I'm thinking while reading this article.Isn't it great that we can change our views, no matter how old they or we are?What do you all think?

New Book Review Editor Search

The best part of my job as editor is working with writers and the thrill of seeing someone get published the first time and giving people opportunities to write authentically and coaxing new writers to dig deeper. Giving new editors the chance to work with writers is another joy of my work . . .

Today I'm announcing a search for a new book review editor for Wineskins.

If you are interested, please answer the following questions and send to my email: gtaylor@garnettchurch.org

1. Have you written or published reviews before?
2. If so, include one of your best here . . .
3. Do you have any editing/literature teaching experience?
4. What about your desire, reading and writing life, would lead Wineskins to give you a shot at this?
5. How do you handle deadlines and how would you feel about managing several writers and editing their work for publication?

Can you handle this compensation? Free books sent directly to you for the life of the job from all the best publishers related to types of books Wineskins reviews: Brazos/Baker, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, Leafwood/ACU Press, Westminster, Bethany House, Jossey-Bass, Paraclete, Eerdmanns, Waterbrook, IVP, NavPress

I'd like to put someone in place before the end of the year, so please answer the questions and send to gtaylor@garnettchurch.org by November 1, 2006.

Who really cares what media is legal to use in church services?

Many churches have a maverick attitude about the resources they use in public worship. They grab photos from the internet, rent a movie from Blockbuster, and with little thought to the legalities, boom, Sunday showtime!

For years churches have needed wisdom and advice about how to properly use internet, video, sound, and music media. ZOE has done sessions over the years on this, and we have brought in various resource people.

Now here is a biggie: many churches--some with developed praise teams and paid leaders--use whatever songs they want, tape them, copy sheet music, do whatever they want, and never think very much about the paperwork that is required to present songs in a church when using copyrighted songs that are owed royalties through CCLI and other songwriting organizations.

How does your church rate? Let's start today with music.

Here is one resource I'd like for you to check out. Come back and comment on what you've learned, what your church practices, and let's learn together what we can about church copyrighting. Let's do the right thing, even if it's not the easy thing.

ZOE Conference and Lauren Winner

We start planning the ZOE "Look to the Hills" Leadership and Worship Conferences in the Spring and the first one is in Nashville the first weekend in October each year.

This year the theme is "Closer," not to be confused with the homonym name for a popular TV show. This is closer as in intimacy and drawing near to God. I'll let the cat out of the bag here a little bit because I'll be happy to have input as we put some finishing touches on the sub-themes.

In the last two years I've invited my friend and co-worker, Wade Hodges, who Mark Riddle calls one of the greatest thinkers in Tulsa. Yeah, that's about right, but once you get out of Tulsa, he's about par with guys like N.T. Wright and McLaren and they could probably outwit him on a given day, if not outpublish him, though not digitally, because like Riddle I've used my own superlatives for Wade, one of the best bloggers "we" have, the "we" meaning Christian progressives I guess, and Wade is currently my favorite preacher, and he's also in good company there, where some of my favorites and friends have been Mike Cope, Rubel Shelly, John York, John Barton, Mark Moore, Deron Smith, not to leave out prominent other friends and family of mine who I've worked with but these are guys out there preaching regularly or semi-regularly.

Back to subthemes for ZOE leadership part of the conference . . .

Wade had the idea for breaking the Closer theme into these four subthemes: we draw near to God through Heart, Head, Hands, Home. So we'll have "discerning communities" led by four people who I'll announce in a few days. Our keynote speaker who will deal with the main theme that leads to these breakout discerning communities (everyone will go to each of the four subtheme breakouts), is Lauren Winner. If you haven't read Lauren Winner's writing, you are missing one of the great, authentic and engaging writers of our day. Her first breakaway book was Girl Meets God and her most recent is Real Sex. I'll be featuring excerpts from her writing in Wineskins in the parallel universe Wineskins issue also called "Closer."

I primarily draw near to God through home: right now I experience God with, in, and through my wife and children and how we are drawing near to God and being shaped into Christ's image together. I have exchanged much of my "personal" time with God for family Scripture reading, storytelling, and prayer.

Where do you most often draw near to God? Through head (study, Bible), heart (emotion, prayer, spirit), home (shared experiences in family), or hands (service experiences)? What stories can you tell about that?

Who will stand with Ron Clark against sexual violence?

Ron Clark is living where Wineskins right now is calling us to live . . . he is a church planter and one who meets people in the messiness of life. For twelve years they have been ministering to those suffering quietly in houses of sexual violence and abuse.

I want to encourage you to read Ron's article on the Rape of Dinah (Genesis 34) that was published in the Swiss journal for feminist Biblical studies. He was recently asked to join the Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force.

Who will pray for Ron? Who will pray for the violence to end in their communities? And will we pray for the dark secrets to slowly edge out of the shadows or to be thrown out like a drunk through a window?

Beginning in September Wineskins looks unblinkingly at intimacy of God and his people, and we will not be silent where the Bible is not silent, where God is not silent. Ron says,

In my experience with ministry in abuse and sexual assault, I have noticed that people tend to blame abuse on alcohol, drug addiction, race, or economic status. Domestic violence affects all races, social groups, and sexes. My clergy trainings with Communities Against Domestic Violence (CADV); a non-profit organization committed to creating awareness in our communities, have focused on faith communities and leadership. Faith communities are viewed as being slow to respond to abuse and sexual assault. Faith communities do not teach and preach texts such as Genesis 34. Is this silence similar to Jacob’s?

I'd like to publish Ron's article in our Intimacy issue of Wineskins because we need to show more than the beautiful side of relationship with God and with one another. We need to expose and speak out against the injustices going on among us.

Read Ron Clark's article. The introduction is in German and some computers may not render the Hebrew terms correctly, but don't let those things distract you from a moving article and application to today's violence and injustices.