THE OFFENSE OF "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

A MISSIONAL VIEW OF CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS

“Merry Christmas” offends these days. Christmas trees offend, and The Ten Commandments too. Symbols of Christianity are increasingly getting the thumbs down…if you haven’t noticed.

What’s the Christian’s response? How do we act and speak when our Bibles are contraband on campus, when our emblems are removed, when our buildings are denuded of their crosses? What will be your response when your daughter calls saying, “Mom. Can you bring me another shirt? The school counselor says I can’t wear the one I have on from the church retreat, because it offends some students?”

When Christian symbols move from politically incorrect to politically illegal what should we do? Hide them? Fight the officers who come to seize them? Litigate over our rosaries and crosses? It is a tough issue, but there is perhaps a clear answer in the Gospels.

The disciples of Jesus gawked, “What a marvelous sight! Jesus, just take a look at the magnificence of these stoned walls!” Oh, and yes, the walls were impressive. They were holy walls; representative of the Glory (read that God) of Israel. They stood for a mighty nation with a mighty God-YHWH.

Do we recall Jesus’ response? “Ho hum. Don’t be overly impressed, boys. They aren’t THAT important. Rome will roll them down one day.”

No images. No icons. Nothing we can point to or at and say, “There it is there, or here it is over here.” Nothing that we cling to besides YHWH. God has always warned us not to attach any significance to symbols. Within His clear desire for us to live free of spiritual icons, I submit that we’re being done a favor by our societal ‘enemies’.

When the highway patrolman pulls me over one day to fine me for the IXTHUS (The fish emblem) on my car, or my “REPENT OR BURN” bumper sticker (I don’t have one, by the way.) I’m going to be sad, but I’ll not fight. I’m going to take it as a grand opportunity to demonstrate what that emblem stood for–Jesus.

“Officer,” I might begin. “Removing that bumper sticker is something I’ve needed to do for a long time, actually. You’ve helped me a lot today.”

It is likely that he’ll be startled by such a response. “You looked a little surprised at my response, Officer. I'll bet that other Christians haven’t responded to you very kindly have they? I apologize. We’ve put too much emphasis on our symbols and not enough on how we treat people. I’m sorry, Sir. Hope you can overlook our failures. They don’t really reflect Jesus very well. We’ve sort of made a mess of doing that.”

How do you think such a reply might affect an unbeliever soured on holier-than-thou Popes and Pastors, sickened by begging televangelists, and immunized against traditional church attitudes? What power might be released by a genuine admission of sloppy righteousness coupled with a humble apology?

What will the world think when we separate ourselves from our images; when we are happy to hand over our portraits of Jesus, our lent wreaths, and our purple robed crosses, and happier yet to hand out bowls of hot soup and blankets on cold nights, lift sandbags against flooding river banks, hold the hands of the bereaved, and sit with the dying? What WILL the world think? I imagine they'll be shocked. They'll be taken aback. They may even be impressed, but....actually, why should we be care very much what they think? Isn't the greater question, "What will YHWH think?"

It is, and I believe we can know what He will think. Undoubtedly, He will be impressed saying, OH! My, what a marvelous sight! That will be both a happy and a holy day.”

For more thoughts on Missional Living: www.TheMissionalLife.com/blog

Humans Treated Like Objects

A couple of months ago I listened to the FBI and Sheriff's dept. do a presentation on human trafficking and underaged prostitution. I was at the regular Attny Gen. Sexual Assault Task Force meeting where we had been discussing "sex industries" and prostitution. Interesting conversation that most ministers don't have on a regular basis. I would have to say that the team I work with (about 15) have opened my eyes to a world of evil that I never learned about.

The FBI presentation blew me away.

As stated in an earlier post, "I live in America for cryin out loud. How can we have one of the highest human trafficking problems in the world?" We rank up there with many other countries.
During the presentation I emailed the presenters and asked what the faith community can do. I got a response that afternoon.

I met Keith the next week. Keith is a deputy sheriff and head of the Human Trafficking Task Force for the county. I listened as he shared how this problem had become so big. Even worse, the schools have pimps preying on teen boys and girls. An underaged prostitute can bring over $200,000 per year to a pimp. One teen boy or girl can make a guy live better than 60% of people in our country (tax free). Even worse he shared how other major cities report to him that Portland has become a feeder town for many other cities. The I-5 corridor is not only a major route for drugs, it is also for girls, boys, and women from many countries.

Keith shared that he has to take sedatives to sleep sometimes because of what he sees.

He shared some of the dark stories worldwide that he sees and reads about.

He mapped out a plan that a church could do to help.

He has a lot of government money for awareness and training but little for actual aid for those fleeing a pimp. He wants to train people to share with faith communities.

He shared with me that some stores sold "Pimp and Ho" Halloween costumes for 11-14 yr old kids. This evil is glammorized.

He asked me to accompany him to one of the high schools to talk about this. I did and the school has developed a committee to do a one day workshop with the students. My son goes to this school. I walked away realizing that God works in the public schools.

I prayed for him as we left the meeting. He is a man of great courage.

He said something else that stuck. "I entered this thinking it was an easy place to retire. I had my eyes opened. I hope that when I die I help as many as possible to be free. That's what is important to me." Sounds like something Jesus, Paul, and Peter would have said.

I never heard him talk about church. He never mentioned his faith tradition. He didn't talk about the church being a big help in this issue. He just asked for our help.

Once again I saw God working in a world of evil. I see that God will work and I have seen some of Jesus's soldiers forming for battle.

Two women have been watching movies and documentaries about this issue. They have been writing about it on their My Space and Face Book. I found this out when I came home and told Lori about our meeting. These are ready to act. One attends Agape. The other is a college student who will join us in the summer to intern with Lori. Keith needs people to liason, be trained, and speak to local organizations/churches about working on the task force. I shared this with them. They are ready.

God is working in the strangest of places-. I shouldn't be surprised--it is My Father's World.

The UN has designated this year as a focus on human rights in communities. I was asked to participate on a panel at the Portland City Hall concerning domestic violence. I sat with 5 other professionals to talk and then participate in Q and A.

One of the panelists, who was Vietnamese, shared her story about being at a store purchasing a tent. The store was out and the sales associate called the manager over to ask what she should do since the tent was on sale. The Vietnamese woman spoke perfect English. When the manager came over she said loudly, "If youuuu come back Monday we have tent for you..." and she made a triangle sign with her fingers. Stacy very politely smilled and said, "Thank you very much, I will come back Monday to pick the tent up." The manager began to apologize. Stacey's daughter asked, "Mommy, why did that lady make a triangle sign and talk to us loudly."

Another panelist is a PhD. at Oregon Health and Sciences Univeristy and as a psychologist does research and work with women at prisons. She was born in Iran and moved here when she was 5. She shared stories of how the police have treated her and how she has been treated since 9-11.

Both these women are leaders in Portland in addressing domestic abuse among women. They are highly qualified in their fields.

I listened to these stories and thought, "I live in America for cryin out loud! How in the world can a country that prides itself in social justice, welcoming the poor and hurting, and freedom still be dealing with this issue? We're supposed to be a Christian nation."

Then I remembered the movie Crash.

Then they talked about their expeirences with churches. They talked about the victims they work with and their churches. Needless to say it was not positive.

When it was my turn to talk about faith communities and working with abusive men I had to agree with most of what the panel said. I think they appreciated it. Many of our churches are like our country--they do not listen to the little people. I think this is why Christianity is declining in America. The little people are leaving.

I hear a lot of white middle class males tell me that the most discrimitated against people in America are white middle class males. Maybe they should listen to other people, especially women, to hear their stories. I've never felt discriminated against. Maybe my responsibility as a white middle class male is to stand up for those who are oppressed. Maybe my responsibility is to confront the oppressors and make sure I never become one. Make sure my 3 boys do not become oppressors as well.

Maybe we should just listen to other people.

However, at Agape we will seek to be like Jesus. He was unique in that he held children, touched children, spent time with slaves, and interacted with women. I think that must be why Mark and Luke want us to know that crowds followed him, pressed upon him, and listened to him. In Luke 15:1 after his challenging hard sermon about giving everything up to follow him (Luke 14:25-33) the sinners and tax collectors came forward. But the Pharisees and teachers of God's law stood back and scoffed at his ministry. Why not, his ministry was growing and their's wasn't.
We need more churches like Jesus' today. In spite of what the critics think.

It really matters what the little people think. They are the brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matthew 25).

First week of Advent

Today is the first day of Advent. The following format tells us about this practice but can also be used by families or groups, with younger people asking the question and others answering.

What is Advent?

Advent is a tradition of Christians that means "coming" and calls us to live in the tension of how Jews felt while waiting for the Messiah. They waited for Emmanuel, God with us.

What do we wait for?

We're waiting for the return of Jesus, but until he comes, we live expectantly as disciples who seek the light of Christ in a dark world.

Is that why we light candles?

Yes, four candles are lit, one each week. Some people make wreaths with four candles. My family has a block of wood that my sister gave us that says, "Jesus is the light of the world" and has space to put four votive candles. We've lit the first candle with family during Thanksgiving weekend and spoke about Jesus as our light who is coming.

Isn't this just a tradition of men and not biblical?

The return of Jesus is certainly biblical and Adventus is Latin translation for the Greek biblical word, "parousia," meaning second coming. So Advent is both a reminder of how the Jews waited for Messiah and also a reminder that we wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are the first two weeks of Advent, and we'll post next two later.

Make an Advent Wreath
Take a shallow bowl and fill with sand or salt and place four purple candles around the edges, or use candle holders. Place one large white candle in the middle. Make a circle of evergreens and place around the bowl or candle holders.

You need a Bible, matches, and you can also use a manger scene. Light one candle during this week’s reflection. The second week, light two, then three the third week and four the fourth. On Christmas Eve, light all and the middle white candle. Set aside some time each week for this short ceremony. Invite those who are alone to join you in worship. Use the telephone to join someone. Gather as a family or with friends.

First week of Advent: Read Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44. Waiting for Advent also teaches us to wait for the return of Jesus. Light candle. Pray the Lord’s Prayer together.

Have a Family Meeting. Hold a family meeting to decide what your goals are for the holidays. What are your spending limits? Avoid debt. Put away credit cards.

Draw names. Consider drawing names rather than everyone giving something to everyone else in your giving circle. Set a budget. Don’t buy everything on a child’s list. Don’t rush out and get something for someone just because they got you something or to “equal” what you think they’ll get or to make the number of gifts equal. Consider giving the gift of time, a handmade gift.

Hope in a Bowl. Write down scriptures such as Isaiah 9:1-7 and Jeremiah 33:14-16—ones that announce coming of God’s redemption, Jesus the Messiah—on index cards. Drop the cards in a bowl. In the days leading up to Christmas, when you sit down to eat together, draw out a card and read the scripture.

Idea for 2nd Sunday of Advent – Dec 7
Light 2nd candle.

Read Luke 2:25-26
What is unique about this man?
Read the passage again. What word do you hear repeated. How many times?
Who is this man and what is he waiting for? What are we waiting for at Christmas?

Pray: Say the Lord’s Prayer together.

Do: With your Nativity scene at home . . . What if we hide Wise Men, Shepherds, Jesus until we read that part of the story closer to Christmas, then we put each person in as we read along?

We the Purple - Part 2

Marcia Ford is hilarious. Reminds me of writer and librarian, Marge Wood, who has written for Wineskins. Ford is giddy about the fact that independent voters have become a major political force, from around 10 percent in the 80s to more than 40 percent today.

This is a great development because it loosens the bounds to red and blue parties. She says, "The growing discomfort with the church's alignment with the Republican Party, coupled with a refreshing freedom to question the authority of our old-guard leaders, has awakened many evangelicals to the ramifications of that lockstep obedience.

Ford has mentioned Jim Wallis by page 17, showing once again Wallis's enormous influence in the past two decades that has ballooned since 2004.

I was waiting for this list, which is inevitable but also acknowledged as always somewhat inaccurate because purple voters by definition defy definition. I'm going to edit her list a bit, but here it is:

1. We're tired of two self-serving, self-promoting parties.
2. We are fine with voting for someone with no chance of winning.
3. We vote for the person not the party.
4. No chance we'll vote a straight party ticket.
5. We have decided to be independent; don't call us undecided.
6. Diverse opinions stimulates good debate.
7. And two major parties suppress this healthy debate.
8. We want government following the will of people, not manipulating it.
9. We want Ralph Nader to keep on running and keep on fighting and keep on debating, even if we don't vote for him. We probably need to apologize for that.
10. We're inconsistent, antiparty, and yet we welcome third-party voters and candidates to join us. No, not inconsistent but outsiders and we want other outsiders to join us--there, that's better.
11. We thank God for the internet. Atheists among us might thank Al Gore.
12. We believe the United States is better than this.

We the Purple

Marcia Ford is a kindred spirit in her journey politically, spiritually, and as a writer. She describes herself as "a book author, with 18 traditionally published books. I'm also a ghostwriter, though of course I can't talk specifically about those books; let's just say that I've ghostwritten or contributed to 12 additional books. I'm also a book editor, book reviewer, writing instructor, writing mentor, and journalist. I'm married with two adult daughters, and I have a special interest in postmodern spirituality."

This month, in leading up to the election, I'll be blogging through her new book, We the Purple. On the cover it says, "We are independent voters, neither Republican red nor Democratic blue. Many of us are people of faith who are tired of partisanship in the church."

Ford believes the time has come for the huge numbers of independent voters in the United States, and many politicians are listening to this group of voters pumping their fists and crying, "Be reasonable."

But before I launch into chapter one, here is a little ditty that comes to my mind and you can sing today to the tune of Kermit the Frog's "It's not easy being green."

It's not easy being Purple.

Having to spend each day the color of Republican and Democrats.

When I think it would be nicer being red, or blue, or green, or something more primary like that.

But purple's the color of a lavender field, or the color of the sunset kissing the clear blue sky.

And purple can be big like a MOUNTAIN's Majesty, or bold, like a river, or small like a flower.

I'm purple, and I think it's what I want to be.

Greg Taylor

Looking for mission opportunities?

Through my association with Uganda, Wineskins, ZOE, The Kibo Group, water projects, Neighborhood Kitchens, and Garnett Church of Christ, I hear about and participate in many non-profit projects and missions that are always needing funding. If you or your church would like to get involved in missions, donating or participating in amazing work serving God's children worldwide, please email me: gtaylor@garnettchurch.org or info@wineskins.org.

Greg Taylor

Running With or From the Pack?

The other night we watched the Olympic Womens' Marathon. Romania's Constantina Tomescu won the 26.2 mile race. She took a gamble and it paid off.

For the first 1 1/2 hours the pack of runners (about 25-30) stayed together and ran a slower pace than normal. Shortly after this Tomescu bolted ahead of the pack and held her lead for the final 45 minutes. Sometimes she was as far as 1 minute ahead of the pack. This was a gutsy move but one she has done often in previous marathons. However, no one from the pack chased after her until it was too late. The silver and bronze medalists narrowed the gap to 20 seconds but Tomescu was already on the track kicking it in for a finish.

I guess I appreciated Tomescu's race. Maybe it is because I tended to do that in races. You feel good, you bolt ahead, and hope the training pays off. Sometimes you crash and burn, sometimes you win. Tomescu's effort was risky because the pack could watch her. If she looks back, they see her as being tired and fading. She has no one to push her so she is tempted to slow down. It is mentally challenging to keep focused ahead and wonder where those behind you are. Fortunately the people on the side of the course tell you how far ahead you are. That helps, but you still wonder. Tomescu, however, kept a small pill of smelling salts to keep her focused on her pace.

Why do you leave the pack?

The pack is in a rut. The pack is going slower than record pace. The pack is being controlled by one or two people. The pack is waiting the inevitable--when two or three people with incredible speed kick the last 1/2 mile and leave everyone else in the dust. If you don't have leg speed, it is a matter of time until they leave you behind.

Running with the pack is safe. However, running with the pack forces the ones who feel strong, on that day, to slow down. They do not run their best race. They run someone else's race, usually the one or two in control of the pack.

I used this analogy in the sermon today. I believe that God is looking for people with the guts to bolt ahead and leave the pack. I believe that God has called people sometimes to break away from the pack. I believe that there are many in the church who have heard God's call to go for it and bolt into a life of evangelism, outreach, and incarnation. However, some listen to the voices that say "stay with the pack..."

I understand that we need to be united. I understand that we need to stick together. But I also understand that sometimes packs are controlled by people who are worried about how they finish, not how they run the whole race. Packs can help people get to the end, but they slow many others down.

We live in a country where Christianity is both declining and disrespected by many of those who are not disciples of Jesus. Partly (from what I hear from them) it is because we run in packs (called cliques) and holler at others to slow down. The packs reinforce traditions and ways of "running the race" that no longer work. But, the pack seems safe. However, when you run in a pack those who are faster have to slow down. You never run to your potential. You may finish, but you always know you could have done more. Packs can help some people run a good race, but packs can also cause people to run someone else's race--not God's.

Is there a spiritual application here?

You tell me.

Who are you voting for and why?

I'm trying to decide who to vote for. Each election year I decide between the candidates. Now, I know that sounds a bit mundane and you may wonder why I'm even saying that. Don't we all choose a candidate. Not really. Most voters are Republicans or Democrats. Most voters vote their party. Still, many people vote for "the man (or woman), not the party!"

So I'm an independent who leans toward Democratic views on some things (such as just war and not offensive military policy, more help for poor, education to help address society problems such as crime before they happen, cooperative not strident foreign policy) and Republican views on others (personal responsibility, less government, pro-life).

I'm about 70% Obama and 30% McCain. McCain has the burden of proof for my vote. I respect very much his military service, suffering as prisoner of war, and his years of service. I don't respect maverick personna that doesn't take advise well, it seems, and that doesn't bode well for a president at crucial moments.

So, I don't know yet who I'm voting for. I've watched speeches by Senator Obama, Governor Palin, and plan to listen to the speech tonight by Senator McCain.

I believe firmly that one ought to weigh the issues and the candidate's ideas and potential for leading our nation and our role in the world, rather than simply voting a party line.

I can understand that others have thought through the issues and picked a party, and they are sticking with it, regardless of the candidate. That's a form of weighing the issues as well, but I think we ought to keep sharp and up on the direction of parties and candidates and not allow political parties to co-opt Christians and use their votes to press a particular political agenda.

Who are you voting for in the November presidential election?

Why?

Church Leadership

Thinking about tracks for the October 2008 ZOE Leadership Conference in Nashville . . . we're considering how we might do more on healthy leadership structures. Please help us brainstorm.

• What structures from non-profit world work that apply to church leadership?
• Are business models appropriate or inappropriate for church leadership? Why or why not?
• Ian Fair's book is being republished by Leafwood . . . Dub Orr . . . they have taken some healthy steps in church leadership models . . . possibilities of session.
• Doug Peters has done a D.Min. on a discerning process for elder selection . . . would like to see him do something on this at a conference.
• Barry Packer is consulting with non-profits on the Carver Model of leadership.
• Wade Hodges is helping direct a process of elder training . . . Ron Clark is publishing this fall a book called Emerging Elders that focuses on elder training.
• Lynn Anderson and Charles Siburt have done much on moving elders to shepherds and understanding and applying the qualities of leadership to church shepherds/overseers/elders.
• Would like to bring in ideas about redemptive business or business as mission. Clint Davis and Mark Moore are doing much on this along with the Kibo Group.
  

What do you know about church leadership structures and how we might address this?

You Never Let Go

No words can adequately express how you ministered to me through your prayers, visits, emails, texts, and calls over the past week. Over and over again, the song "You Never Let Go" kept ringing in my head and each communication I received from you reminded me that God was using you to remind me that He never lets go.

Most of you are familiar with my story. My sister has been fighting all her life. We both witnessed as children a life that no child should have to experience. We were five years apart in age but had a special bond of survival. I ran away when I was 16 and she ran away at age 11. We both went our separate ways. After high school I left Spokane only to return once briefly and then left for good. My sister Kristi began a relationship with a young boy and moved in with his family at age 11. Kristi gave birth to her first child at age 14. Ashley is now 19 with a beautiful 3 month old son named Kennon. Two years later at 17 she gave birth to her son Chad who is now 17. And then at age 19 she gave birth to another daughter, Ashley who is now 14.

Kristi was good mother. She showed her love deeply. She was always taking in other children who needed love. But she was wounded so terribly. But her children were first priority. Her wounds were stored inside. Yes, she made some very bad choices in life and she lived the life that she only knew how.

As we look back Kristi started regressing after drugs took our mother's life 13 years ago. If I was to compare Kristi's death to our mothers, it would nearly be identical with the exception being our mother survived in the hospital about 10 days longer. Our mother and Kristi had developed a co dependent relationship and were very close following the birth of Kristi's second child, Chad. While our mother's death was devastating to all involved it was especially so for Kristi.

Kristi started pushing her children to their father and began distancing herself over the past year to year and a half. She was hurting inside. I believe because she loved her children so much she was trying to protect them. Kristi started using Meth and moving from one bad abusive relationship to another. Since December 2007 she had attempted three suicides. We (the family) were only aware of 1 other time.

Her fourth attempt she was discovered in a flower bed on a busy intersection in Spokane a week ago from yesterday. When she arrived at the hospital she was awake and sitting up. She told the nurses that she did NOT want family contacted and the nurses explained her attitude as very angry that she was at the hospital and that they were helping her. On Friday test results came back and she was progressively slipping in and out of a consciousness. State law requires the hospital to list her as a confidential patient so at this point there was no family contacted or family member names discussed. She had taken a bottle of tylenol and some Meth. Her liver had stopped functioning and the toxins were killing her.

Her nurse decided that it was time to contact family as death was imminent. On Saturday after much research she discover her daughter Ashley and contacted her. The doctor that was assigned to her case said if we wanted to see her alive we need to get there now.

Natalie and I were at the funeral of my cousins wife in Kentucky who also suffered from mental illness and took her life. We were not able to arrive to Spokane till Sunday morning. Walking into the hospital room, memories of our mother overwhelmed me. And then the children. And then I realized that I was hurting so bad because it felt like I was losing one of my children. Often times it was just Kristi and myself when we were small.

Monday morning a senior doctor came in and after reading the CT brain scan that showed no brain swelling or bleeding announced that he disagreed with the previous doctors diagnosis and said we should expect full recovery. Kristi's liver was starting to work again and had improved from Sunday to Monday. He just simply said we should expect full recovery as the Liver continues to work again. He then wanted us to place her on life support to help her breathing so she didn't tire out and get pnuemonia. Well.... there was now hope and we agreed.

Tuesday test results showed again improvement of her liver functions so the doctor ordered a feeding tube. At this point I was beginning to question our decision to put her on life support and then all of a sudden he was putting a feeding tube. I struggled with this the entire day and evening. But the others were not including Natalie, so I was trying to find comfort in that. Now that we nearly had every machine in the room keeping Kristi alive I told Natalie she might as well go home. So we made arrangements for her to go home early Wednesday morning.

In the wee early hours Wednesday morning Kristi had a seizure that lasted 10 minutes. Followed by another seizure four hours later that lasted 22 minutes. I had shared my uncertainty with the night nurse and she encouraged me to approach and challenge the doctor. She also told me he was the best at the hospital and she would trust her life with him.

Natalie left for the airport about 730am and the doctor arrived around 830am just in time for a third seizure that lasted over 30 minutes. I challenged the doctor! But he convinced me we were doing the right thing and he again repeated "I expect FULL recovery." Then he offered for my comfort to order and additional CT scan of her brain.

Kristi went down for the scan around 1030am. It was almost an hour before she returned. She had another seizure during the scan. When she returned the Nurse, whom I love, in passing looked at me straight in the and shook her head. About 30 minutes later I was informed that the doctor wanted to talk to me and that he would be calling at 1pm.

At 115pm the doctor called and explained that Kristi's head was extremely swollen and was so swollen there was no room for the swelling to continue. The same doctor that said she will fully recover was now saying there was no chance due to her neurological status. We decided to remove life support. Around 3pm the life support was removed. We were fully expecting her to survive at least a couple of days, because our mother lived nearly a week after we removed life support. This was not the case. Kristi passed on about 5 minutes after removing the support.

I don't have to tell you how tragic and how desperate the kids are feeling. I was not in too good shape that afternoon and Thursday morning, but I am better today.

My sister did not have a chance at life. Again, yes she made some bad choices. But she was sick. Mental illness is very serious and it can take control. It took control of my sister. She did not have the support system that my Granny had put in place when I was a small child. After I ran away from home, I left everything including her behind, which I am sure added to her woundedness. But she was sick. I want you to hear that. She was not in control when she took her life. She was in a very dark and lonely place.

I thank God for each of you. God has used you as His rock in so many ways. Thank you!! May God's Light shine upon you this day!

With All My Love,

Eric (E-No)
Eric Noah-Wilson

KRISTINA LYNN BLANK
July 12, 1974 - May 21, 2008

Memorial Service:
May 27, 2008 @ 11:00 am
Northside Church of Christ
N. 5601 Jefferson
Spokane, WA 99207

Terry Smith, Officiating

In honor of Kristi Blank, The ZOE Group would like you to have this free download of the song that kept sustaining and giving courage to Eric about God's everlasting love that never lets go. You Never Let Go

Kristi Blank dies May 21

Life support was removed from Kristi Blank tonight and she died five minutes later. Eric is hurting. We mourn the loss of Eric's sister, who had three children and one grandchild.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for Eric, Natalie and the rest of the family.

Update 2: Eric Noah-Wilson's Sister, Kristi Blank

From Eric in Spokane, Washington:

First I want to thank you. I don't have words to express how these messages you've sent, the prayers you've lifted have kept me going.

It has been so encourage to stop, sit and pick up my phone and read the prayers and thoughts of so many. It has been a very emotional roller coaster. Below is the latest.

Kristi has two doctors seeing her and they have very different diagnoses. The first doctor who has been treating Kristi since Thursday is adamant that there will be no recovery with the damage that she has inflicted on her body. A second doctor has come in, however, and believes results of tests compared from the past two days have shown positive increases in filtering the toxins. So he wants to put her on life support and give it 48 hours to see if in fact her liver functions continue to improve. Late last night her breathing was so shallow the decision was made to put her on life support as the new doctor recommended.

This morning (May 20) the doctor came in and explained that the tests taken this morning again showed improvement in her liver activity and he ordered a feeding tube. Okay, so now you can see the different emotions I am feeling. If in fact she is improving I am very excited (and scared). Scared that if she does come out how angry she is going to be. Her few words on Thursday to the nurses were "I don't want to live, let me die!" Are we prolonging the inevitable?

So of course with the feeding tube and life support this could go on for quite some time. I am sending Natalie home tomorrow. Kristi's color is better, and she seems to be resting. She is on life support, with heavy doses of fluids, vitamins, antibiotics fighting off everything that the liver should be doing.

To the ZOE Family . . . these emails, calls and prayers are what has kept me going! God is GOOD and He is the HEALER.

Thank you!

Note: You may leave comments and prayers here on this blog . . . and we'll let Eric know where to find them. We've forwarded nearly 300 of your messages and prayers to Eric in the last three days.

Update on Eric Noah-Wilson's sister, Kristi

Eric texted me yesterday with these words . . .

This is so hard. In addition to having to re-live the death of my (biological) mother 12 years ago, I am witnessing my sister, who I cared for when we were kids, dying right in front of me.

Kristi has not been awake since we arrived Sunday. She is breathing on her own, but breaths are more and more shallow and heart rate has gone from 124 to 134.

It feels like I am losing a child. I hurt.

What It Costs to be a Disciple

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." ~ Mark 10:29-31

It's a sobering footnote to the account of the rich young ruler - a less-than-comforting word of comfort at the climax of a crescendo of sobering declarations: that it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God ... that with man, it is impossible to be saved; but with God it is possible. It's the answer to Peter's desperate cry for affirmation: "We've left everything to follow you!"

It was true for them. Is it true for us?

Do we believe that it's still hard for the rich to enter God's kingdom? I don't know about you, but I sure don't live like I believe it. I have so much stuff that I've caught myself thinking about renting stuff so I can buy more stuff to stuff with all of my extra stuff.

Do we believe that with man - trying to direct his own steps; trying to weave his own robes of self-righteous white and ending up with only filthy rags - with man, it actually is impossible to please God? but that with God, all things are possible? I still find myself thinking from time to time that I can beat all the bad stuff, do all the good stuff, understand all the incomprehensible stuff, live all the tough stuff, believe all the incredible stuff, and be right about all the right stuff if I just try a little bit harder.

What a bunch of ... stuff.

Without God, it's impossible.

But does it always cost home, family and possessions to follow?

As nearly as I can tell, yes. In one way or the other: either you give everything over to God that you have - willingly, cheerfully, gladly - and be delighted to use whatever He lets you use for His glory; or He will eventually take it away from you. He'll do whatever it takes to help you fulfill your commitment to follow His Son and journey ever closer to Him.

At the Pepperdine Lectureship last week, Angi and I taught the chapter on kenosis - emptying one's self in order to be filled with the equipping Holy Spirit - from Darryl Tippens' book Pilgrim Heart as an example for leading small groups. One of the folks in our class was a dear lady who had been emptied by God, and she believed it was because He loved her so much and that she had never emptied herself of the kind of life she wanted to lead. It had cost her health, her job, and almost the life of a beloved daughter to a suicide attempt.

As many times as I have read Job before that moment, I had never really thought about God letting Satan empty that beloved old patriarch so that He could fill his child with blessing.

Expect persecutions, Jesus prophesies. And when they come, James adds:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

Ouch. Giving up everything so that you will lack nothing. That's pretty much what Jesus expected of that rich young ruler, wasn't it?

No wonder there are so many of us Christians.

And so few of His disciples.

There Is A God

What a great discussion Wednesday night at Cascade College. We had 2 atheists, an agnostic philosophy professor, and myself discuss Antony Flew's book There is a God. The Rehearsal hall was packed (had to bring in extra chairs). This session the Cascade students were surprisingly absent (except the ones required to come for my class). Kevin Reed from Cascade moderated. We had students from Portland State, Mt. Hood Community College, a youth group, and many other visitors. This year the agnostic students took issue with the atheist's comment that we would be better off without religion. During the Q and A they had some pretty strong words to say. It was neat and the discussion drew everyone in and helped to prove that we can have conversations out of respect.

The book by Flew is an easy read. The panel was required to read the book, ask a question from the book (we also had a question submitted by the author of the book), and answer the questions from the panel and audience. I think we had a good healthy discussion. Chris Jackson, as usual, can be counted on getting the group to laugh often and still be an aggressive arguer. Jerry is his old smile but be grouchy self and continues to provoke people to get their hackles up and ask him questions. One of the men who attended emailed me Thursday and said that he and his 3 high school daughters had a great discussion about the debate all the way home. This is what we wanted. We also have open doors to talk further with the United State's Atheists, PSU's group, and at Mt. Hood. God is always good and obviously loves conversation.

What did I learn from this? I had finished Dawkin's book The God Delusion and was very much in tune to the language used by the atheists concerning Christians and people of faith.

1. Dawkins suggests that higher intellect people do not make up many of the members of the faith communities. He also suggests that faith is belief without evidence. However, Antony Flew's shift from atheist to believing in a supreme being proves that believing in God can be rational and intellectual. Flew was converted on many of the basic teliological arguments and suggests to us that they are valid reasons to believe in God.

2. We need intellectuals in the faith. I see many ministry majors that have the mind but not the passion for ministry. I see others that have the passion and have neglected the mind. We need both. Some of the Bible majors worry me--since our churches will hire them thinking that this is the best there is. They lack the discipline and courage to expand their mind. They act as if learning Greek, theology, and church history is the hardest part of ministry--yet little do they know that the hardest part is yet to come. We do need bright young minds to enter ministry and not only fight Satan in the areas of social justice--but fight him in the intellectual arena. We need young bright minds (male and female) who will smile at the challenges of modern culture and ask the questions people are afraid to ask. We need to remember that the statement, "Paul, your great learning has made you crazy," was not an inspired statement--it was made by a pagan.

3. Flew spent many years debating Christian theologians and developed a respect for them. Relationship may have played a part in his shift. Likewise, relationship plays an important part in our outreach and encouragement to others. We need intellectuals in the church but they must also be relational. People will be open if they are our friends.

4. We need to respect all people and listen. Nancy, one of the atheists, made the comment to the group that I had helped her to see that morals can be faith based. This has happend through years of discussions, friendship, and arguments based in respect.

5. People need to quit basing their views of religion on the Fundamentalist TV preachers that they see. There are many more people who have rational and logical answers to Bible questions. We want to find opportunities to talk with people and answer their questions and help them see that God is a loving caring God.

I'm looking forward to our next discussion.

Restoring the New Testament Church

You know, maybe that's not such a bad idea.

But there's really only one way to do it. And it has nothing to do with trying to re-create the way church was "done" in century one; analyzing structures and customs and laws and hermeneutics and praxes of a day long since past, then trying to imitate them and adapting them and staying within them and never straying outside them and shaking our fingers or fists at those who don't "do" church as well as we think we think they should be "doing" it.

Restoring the New Testament Church is the natural result of restoring souls to the God they have either never known or have wandered away from - through His Son, gifted by His Spirit, penitent and confessional and washed clean of sin and dedicated to drawing ever closer to their Lord.

If we really gave our hearts away to God and to the desperate needs of others, it would happen. And it would happen in the same ways that it did more than nineteen hundred years ago.

Those unreached by God's love would be turned to worshipers by the generosity we would show. They would open their own hearts to the Story of the Christ by our answer to their question "Why do you do this for us?": "Because Jesus loves all."

We've made a terrible mistake in thinking that restoring the church is the means by which we can bring people to Christ.

Bringing people closer to Christ is how His church is restored.

And while it's true that sometimes we learn by doing, most of the time we love by doing.

Not by talking about it. Not by analyzing it. Not by meeting in our distinctive church buildings and worshiping our distinctive way and maintaining our distinctive air of piety.

All we have to do, really, is focus our lives on Christ; being like Him and loving like Him and serving like Him. Because, in a bizarre Moebius loop of cause-and-effect, when we serve others we serve Him. When we care for others, we care for His needs. When we feed and heal and clothe others, we feed and heal and clothe His body; His church.

There was an early time - before greed and racial tension and hierarchical jealousy and other selfishness set in - when the church was a group of people restored to God:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

They did it because they loved unreservedly, just as Jesus prophesied and promised them:

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

They did it because that's exactly what He did:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If you love, you give.

If you love, you give up self.

That's His idea of restoring the church.

How does it compare to ours?

_{(originally posted at Blog in My Own Eye)}

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Chat here about this article by Nancy Nason Clark.

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Chat here about this article by Ron Clark (known to you here as KMiV!).