1-5: Other People Matter!

I don’t usually get weird about birthdays, but a couple weeks before I turned 30 (on October 23), it hit me that – arbitrary or not, 30 is a pretty big milestone.  Since then, I’ve been wondering what I’ve learned in my first 30 years of life.  Here’s what I’ve come up with, 5 at a time!

1. The person who knows 1, knows none.

This would probably be hilarious if we knew Arabic...This is true of languages, religions, culture and pretty much everything.  If you don’t take time to get to know someone else in a real and deeply significant way, you won’t know yourself.  We have less in common with God than we do with any person on the planet.  If we don’t learn how to live in true community with Others, we won’t connect with God as fully as we could.  We were designed to need each other.

2. You’ll get further this week developing a genuine interest in 2 other people than trying to get 2 other people interested in you.

palsThis is a quote from Tim Sanders. It’s true.  Dale Carnegie also talks a lot about this in his classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People.  My dad made me read that book when I was 16 and it’s still one of the best books I’ve ever read, one that has shaped me more than most.  Learn the art of caring about others… it’s a skill you can develop.  And it will change who you are.  For the better.  Because at the end of the day…

3. It really is more blessed to give than to receive.

I have one of these waiting for you... you know, if you drop by for a visit.

We are created in the image of the God who is fundamentally a giver.  We are hard-wired to be most fully ourselves when we’re giving.  This is the direct opposite of what our culture teaches (and you’ll hear in any Economics class that there’s no such thing as a self-less gift).  Giving makes us more human, more truly ourselves.  You can learn this art (and if you want a good place to start, do yourself a favor and pick up Miroslav Volf’s Free of Charge).

4. If you can help it, don’t open your mouth unless you’re giving something to someone.

I’m not here yet, but this is where I want to get.  I tend to be a very sarcastic person by nature, and I’m tired of making people feel like trash.  I want to be a person who’s a constant source of encouragement and life to other people.  I don’t want to feel good at someone else’s expense.  It’s something I’m still working on.

5. You have to fight for good relationships.

Quite a comeback they're making! I hope they win!

Somehow, I think we all got the impression that if a relationship is right and good, it just comes naturally.  Well, bad news… that’s a dirty lie.  True life-giving relationships take a lot of work.  We have to learn that Others are never going to be like us, no matter how much we try to change them.  God revels in diversity, so we have to figure out how to live with Others.

And that takes work.  In marriage, in friendship, in family, at work and church and even international politics (I suspect).

We’ve been fed the lie that we should surround ourselves with like-minded people and we’ve happily gobbled it up.  Time to switch tables and find some new cuisine!

If you want a good place to start, try reading a book by a person you don’t like (or think you won’t) and forcing yourself to write down something positive for every negative thing you say.

That’s it for this week… next week’s all about Story.  But for now, what do you think?  Do you agree or disagree?

The Oval Office

This series of posts is my attempt to demonstrate that the language of the Revelation was actually symbolic code that was very intelligible to a first-century Jewish Christian living in the Roman Empire.  I’m re-writing the Revelation to communicate the same message, but to a twenty-first century American Christian audience, using symbols we understand.  This section parallels Revelation 4-5; if you want to catch up, here’s a PDF compiling all the entries so far: The Revelation to JR – Chapters 1-5.

After this I looked, and there in Heaven I saw an open door.  And the first voice – the one I’d heard that sounded like a jet engine – said, “Come up here, and I will show you what’s going happen next.”  I was immediately pulled into a vision and there in Heaven I saw an Oval Office, with a large desk at the center of the office and someone seated at the desk.  The person seated at the desk was more beautiful than the Hope Diamond or any other collection of jewels you could imagine.  I saw a wedding ring surrounding the desk, running throughout the whole Office.

Surrounding the desk were 50 more desks, and at each desk I saw a Congressperson, all dressed in white suits and wearing gold medals around their necks.

Continue reading

The Seventh Church

This is the final church in my ongoing reimagining of the Revelation to John.  You can catch the first piece here.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Evangelical churches write: These are the words of the Truth, the faithful and true reporter, the source of everything in God’s world:

I know what you’re doing. I know that you’re neither full of tradition nor cutting edge. I wish you were either steeped in heritage or innovative but since you’re neither – since you just follow the culture around, mimicking whatever you see, I’m going to foreclose on your buildings and burn them to the ground. You say, “I am hip, I’m relevant and people love me.” You don’t realize that you are pathetic, derivative, poor, uncool and naked. You want my advice? (Too bad if you don’t!) You need to start following me around. I’ve got a light show that will dazzle you, and white graduation robes that are way cooler than anything in your closet. Look to me for your inspiration, and I’ll show you a world unlike any you can imagine. I chastise and discipline the people I love – do you understand that that’s what’s happening here? Take a good, hard look at yourself and repent! I’m not just some cheap slogan on a t-shirt or bumper sticker! Your community deserves to know that I’m more than a slick production. I’m in the lobby. All you have to do is ask and I’ll come into your meetings and we’ll transform this whole place together. To the one who conquers, I’ll give a place with me in my office – the same way I have already conquered and sat down with my Father in his office. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

For My Birthday, I Want You to Change the World

I’m giving my 30th Birthday to HOPE International.  My goal is to raise $3,000 for HOPE’s war on poverty.  This post is my story: who HOPE is, what they do and why they deserve your money.  Please give to HOPE.  They’re changing the world.  And they need your help!

What’s the poorest you’ve ever been?  I think for me it was college – I lived paycheck-to-paycheck and definitely paid a few bills late.  But I never missed a meal (even if it was Ramen or an oven-pizza)  And I never feared I was going to be evicted.

I felt poor, but I didn’t know how much I really had. That changed when I visited the Dominican Republic with HOPE International.

Standing on the roof of our hotel looking out across Santo DomingoHOPE International is a microfinance organization, and one of their bases of operation is the DR.  They took a small group of us (about 10) down to show us exactly what they do, exactly how microfinance works.  Which was good because I had no idea what microfinance was.

Right on the Caribbean, Santo Domingo is simply beautiful - some of the best scenery the DR has to offer!The DR is quite a paradox; on one hand it hosts some of the world’s most beautiful resorts.  Even the hotel in which we stayed in the capitol of Santo Domingo was relatively nice.  The city was typical of large cities in the developing world – somewhat dirty and crowded, but you can find anything you need, even if you don’t speak Spanish.  On the other hand…

Scenes like this were pracitally luxurious the further from Santo Domingo we got.The second day of our (very short) trip found us climbing into a van early in the morning and heading out of Santo Domingo, towards the surrounding villages.  The change was nearly instantaneous – the buildings got more decrepit, the crowds thicker, the smells stronger.  The roads got worse and worse.

I was entering into poverty.  Real poverty.  For the first time in my life.

By the time we stopped, we were driving on dirt roads.  Through the middle of town.  Following our HOPE contact, we began weaving our way through the homes, following some indiscernible path only he knew.  Every step we took was over rubble and trash.  Representative of the typical yard in the villages wher we were.Dogs and chickens ran through our legs and children chased each other in and out of shacks made of brick and trash.  I saw no running water.  I saw no electricity.  The floors of the ‘houses’ were made of dirt.  This was an entire city of people living in pre-modern conditions, a way of life more primitive than an Amish community, far less quality and clearly not by choice.

We finally reached our destination (which I only knew because we stopped).  Our host greeted the resident of a house made of corrugated tin, and they began setting up plastic chairs in a circle.  Our host (the very awesome Clay Dudley) began to explain to us what was about to happen, and I began to grasp the miracle of microfinance:

Just before the community meeting began, as members were showing up

HOPE (and their local partner Esperanza) go into an impoverished community and invite a group of persons to participate in their microlending program.  The group is then assigned a leader (our guide), who works with them throughout the whole process.  He or she teaches them the basics of personal finance and helps them to choose a business to start.  Then, based on the type of business, the group leader arranges their loans, which range anywhere from $50-$200.

We met a man who builds wheelbarrows, a woman who walks to the larger, neighboring city and buys towels in bulk to sell to her town, and a man who does the same with used clothes.

My good friend Matt and I both bought some towels. Support local economy!Once they’ve started their business, the group meets weekly to track their finances, put some of their earnings into a savings account and make payments on the loans.  Each member of the group cosigns on every other member’s loans, so they have a high degree of accountability.  The loans are paid back in 4-6 months, and at that point each entrepreneur may decide to take out a larger loan to expand his or her business.  Nearly every person does this – for instance, the man who built wheelbarrows now supplies three of the largest construction companies in the DR and has several employees.

HOPE’s system works.  Microfinance builds community and teaches people in the developing world to lift themselves out of poverty.

So much charitable giving simply creates dependence.  It teaches those who receive only to do that… receive.  But HOPE’s system teaches its participants to become wage-earners.  And it’s no surprise that nearly every person who starts a business through HOPE chooses to give back to HOPE.  And whereas many microfinance organizations actually pay you back when you loan a person money, HOPE keeps it and gives it again and again and again.  So if you give $50, it gets loaned out.  6 months from now, it’s paid back and loaned out again.  6 months later, it happens again.  And again… and again.

That’s why I’m giving them my birthday, and why they deserve your money.  I’m already 10% of the way there… if you want to help, please click here to give to HOPE and help me get to $3,000.  Think about it… $3,000 is 30 loans (on average).  That means that this year you and I can help 60 people climb out of poverty.  And another 60 next year.  And another 60 the year after that.

By the time I’m 40, you and I will have helped 600 people change their lives forever in a way we can’t even begin to understand.

You can give right here.  HOPE is an amazing organization, and their system works.  Thanks to HOPE, poverty is actually being eliminated, not just managed.

Please give and please spread the word!

Will you help me?

And help them…

One of the kids we met. I can't imagine what his business will be one day... A hand up, not a hand out. – HOPE International’s motto

THANK YOU!

The Sixth Church

This is the another installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Hispanic churches write: “These are the words of the Holy One. The True Immigrant. He has the key of David and what he opens, no one can shut (and if he shuts it, no one can open it either!):

I know what you’re doing. Look: I have opened the borders in front of you and no one can close them. I know you don’t have much power, but even still you have kept my word and haven’t denied my name. I will make those of the nation of Satan – who say they are God’s people but are not (they’re lying!) – I’m going to make them stand up and salute you and they will learn that I have loved you all along. Because you have been patiently listening to me, I’m going to protect you from the great tests that the whole world is going to take. I’m coming soon, so keep holding on tightly to what you have – you don’t want anyone to take your gold medal from you! If you conquer, I will make you a load-bearing wall in the Church of my God – you’ll never leave it! And I’ll sign my name on your forehead – my name, God’s name and the name of the New Utopia from God. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Andy Stanley (pt. 2)

These are my summary reflections from the Catalyst East Conference in Atlanta, GA.  The theme this year was “The Tension is Good”, so the speakers mostly used their talks to explore various tensions we all feel in Leadership.  I don’t summarize every speaker.

Andy always speaks twice at Catalyst – opening and closing.  His closing talk is always hardcore, nuts-and-bolts leadership, and is always among my favorite of the conference.  This year proved no exception (though I was disappointed to learn that he’d already given this talk at Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit).

Andy used the opposable thumb to great effect: because we have an opposable thumb, we can leverage tension to create and progress far beyond the rest of the animal kingdom.  Tension is actually necessary for any organization that wants to make progress.

Every organization has problems that shouldn’t be solved and tensions that shouldn’t be resolved.

If you “resolve” any of these tensions, you only create new tensions elsewhere, and you’ll create barriers to progress.  Progress depends not on the resolution of the tensions, but on the successful management of those tensions.

Examples: Evangelism vs. Discipleship.  Building vs. Giving. Music vs. Sermons

To distinguish between problems to solve and tensions to manage ask the following:
  1. Does this problem/tension keep resurfacing?
  2. Do both sides have mature advocates?
  3. Are the two sides actually interdependent?
The role of leadership is to leverage the tension for the benefit of the organization.  How?
  1. Identify the tensions to be managed.
  2. Create new terminology.  Vocabularize what you’re doing so everyone can be on board.
  3. Inform your core team.  Make sure everyone is in on the conversation.
  4. Continually give value to both sides.
  5. Don’t weigh in too heavily based on your personal biases.
  6. Don’t allow strong personalities to win the day.  It’s not a win when somebody wins.
  7. Don’t think in terms of balance.  Think in terms of rhythm.

My job is to make sure the important, progress-critical tension never drop out of sight.

We need passionate people who will champion their side and mature people who understand tension.

As a leader, on e of the most valuable things you can do for your organization is differentiate between tensions you organization will always need to manage and problems that need to be solved.

T. D. Jakes

These are my summary reflections from the Catalyst East Conference in Atlanta, GA.  The theme this year was “The Tension is Good”, so the speakers mostly used their talks to explore various tensions we all feel in Leadership.  I don’t summarize every speaker.

The Bishop T. D. Jakes leads the famous Potter’s House down in Texas, and is well-known as a preacher and author.  He’s wild and energetic, and embodies the best of the black preaching tradition.  So I knew whatever he was going to say, it was going to be a lot of fun.

Leadership is foresight and vision.  It’s not about catching up or keeping up.  It’s about being ahead of the curve.

Jakes remembered his childhood; his older brothers would go hang out ‘on the corner’ where shady things went down.  Jakes wouldn’t elaborate so as not to offend our ‘delicate sensibilities’.  When he turned 16, his mother forbade him from going down to the corner.  When he argued that he was old enough, she replied that she ‘didn’t raise him to live on the corner.’

People who hang on the corner think the whole world is the corner.

Our responsibility is to speak to all people, and you can’t change the world from the corner.  This is hard, and it’s dangerous, because we’ll have to step out of the crowd and do something different.

If you get out front, you’ll get shot at; they can’t pick you off if you stay in the crowd.

It’s dangerous to step out, but people who play it safe aren’t leaders.

Jakes then encouraged us all to pursue diversity.

When you write the books you read, your truth is distorted.

He reminded us that secular industries spend billions of dollars to figure out what people think and how to talk to them.  Only the Church doesn’t take the time to learn the language of the masses.

Are we armed with the message that reaches the masses… or only the corner?

Jakes concluded by telling us that fish grow to the size of their tanks, and challenged us to provide our people with unbounded space.*

God doesn’t allow sameness to procreate.  Differences bring fruit.

*It turns out that the fish tank thing probably isn’t true.  Fish that are kept in tanks too small for them become deformed.  So the metaphor may actually work even better.  Are you responsible for creating environments that deform your people?

Craig Groschel

These are my summary reflections from the Catalyst East Conference in Atlanta, GA.  The theme this year was “The Tension is Good”, so the speakers mostly used their talks to explore various tensions we all feel in Leadership.  I don’t summarize every speaker.

Craig Groschel is the pastor of the innovative LifeChurch.tv and spoke at Catalyst for the first time a few years ago and has since been a Catalyst favorite.  His style is blunt and in-your-face tempered with a large helping of humility and confession.  This year, he told us that he’d been asked to speak about generational tension, and since he’s right at 40 years old, felt he could speak to both the older and younger.

To the Older generation:

Don’t resist, fear or judge the next generation.  Instead, believe and invest in them.  The older generation feels insecure far too often.  Remember: you don’t have to be cool; you just have to be real.  Don’t give up.  If you’re not dead, you’re not done.

To the Younger generation:

Our challenge is that we feel entitled.  We want the giant ministries and fame instantly.  We typically overestimate what God wants to do through us in the short-term, which leads us to underestimate what God wants to do through us over the course of 15, 20 or 50 years.

If we want to lead up, we need to learn to honor the persons God has put in authority over us.  There’s a difference between respect and honor.  Respect is earned; honor is given.

Honor publicly leads to influence privately. – Andy Stanley

Gabe Lyons

These are my summary reflections from the Catalyst East Conference in Atlanta, GA.  The theme this year was “The Tension is Good”, so the speakers mostly used their talks to explore various tensions we all feel in Leadership.  I don’t summarize every speaker.

Gabe Lyons helped to start the Catalyst Conference, but left several years ago to pursue Q.  He co-authored the excellent book unChristian and released just last week his equally excellent follow-up The Next Christians, which fleshes out many of the ideas he presented at Catalyst.

The next Christians are engaging cultural tensions in a whole new way.

Our world is changing.  But what is it changing into?

  1. Post-Modern – a skepticism towards certainty
  2. Post-Christian – the Church has moved from the center of culture to the margins.
  3. Pluralistic – the Judeo-Christian worldview is no longer exclusive.

When engaging culture, Christians fall somewhere along a spectrum between two poles:

  1. Separate
  2. Enculturate

Those who have captured the heart of the Gospel do neither.  They take a third path.  The Next Christians seek to restore.

80329357 What is a restorer?  How is s/he different from the poles of the spectrum?  Consider this as the outline of the Gospel story:

Creation –> Fall -> Redemption –> Restoration

Separatists tend to focus on the Fall/Redemption aspects of the story, ignoring that creation and culture are good, and that it’s all going somewhere.

Encultureists tend to focus on the Creation/Restoration pieces without taking Sin seriously enough.

A Restorer listens to the whole story.  S/he is provoked by brokenness to step-up and get involved.

Gabe has elsewhere categorized culture in seven different spheres, and pointed out that the Church (the religion sphere) is the only sphere that regularly gathers the other spheres.  Every person in your church already works in the world, in the other spheres.  This means that your church is an unmobilized army already on mission.

What are you doing to train and equip them to become restorers?

Our job isn’t just to show up and state the Good News; it’s to embody the Gospel so people might catch a glimpse of what the Gospel looks like.

The Fifth Church

This is the another installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Baptist churches write: These are the words of the one who has the seven flaming doves and the seven stars:

I know what you’re doing. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what’s left and is at death’s door, because I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember everything you’ve been given, and everything you’ve learned. Obey it and repent! If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief and you won’t know when I’ll strike. There are a few of you Baptists who haven’t gotten caught up in all the mud-slinging and are still clean. They’re going to walk with me, dressed in white graduation robes, because they’re worthy. If the rest of you conquer, you will also be dressed in white graduation robes, and I won’t erase your names form the book of life. In fact, quite the opposite, I’ll read it loud and proud in front of my Father and all the angels. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.