Collision: The Movie

As much as I'm curiously interested in watching this movie, and the trailer makes it look really "hip/trendy", it also seems to miss a point. It's being screened in Chicago soon, if you're interested in checking it out with a context that offers a bit of discussion/digestion of it. It's also on Amazon by now, if you'd rather others not know you watched it, or can't drive to Chicago....or a combination of those two.

It's a documentary/movie about a story of dialogue happening between world-famous Atheist author/speaker/etc. Christopher Hitchens and world-famous evangelical author/pastor/etc. Douglas Wilson. Based on the trailer, it seems to be a 90-minute back and forth and rebuttal about whether or not Christianity or Atheism makes sense, and is good for the world, etc. I haven't seen the film, so obviously I can't tell you any of the redeeming qualities, or about the ultimate message/context it provides for being a great resource of some sort.

All I can do here, is point at the concept behind such a thing even happening...and ask...really?

Now, with Christopher Hitchens I can understand. Such a project and undertaking makes perfect sense. Possibly even purposefully drawing Wilson out to have him participate in something that seems to go against much of what Christ spoke of.

But Douglas Wilson being a part of this? I haven't read his books, but I'm weary anytime one person represents the whole Christian body in a public way like this.

Maybe my concerns are without foundation. Maybe Wilson's goal is to reveal how nonsensical following Christ is. Perhaps his purpose lies in revealing there is no worldly logic or good and easy explanation for why someone should believe and follow God's Kingdom.

May we remember, as we come into dialogue and living situations with those of other or no faiths....to love. To offer grace and mercy, and Truth from a loving heart. To live freely, and enabled by the Holy Spirit. To attempt to explain the Hope that we have, and offer it to others who are bound by many of the chains of our world.

But may we also remember that chains do not often fall off through a theological or a-theological debate where we attempt to prove why all of this "makes sense" or is "economically or physically or etc....attractive" in the light of other paths this world has created.

Check out this appearance on CNN for an interview with both of them after the movie is made. As people who follow Christ, let's take less paths that look like this....k? :)

1 vs. 99

Lately the theme of Kingdom as valuing the one over the ninety-nine (Luke 15) has been running through my brain. Like, what does that look like beyond the shepherd and sheep analogy? I don't think we'd very easily accept many of the situations I can come up with:

1. A pastor learns an elderly person from his church really needs to be prayed with, and has requested them as the one to pray with. Even though it's Sunday morning, and service is about to begin, they walk out and leave service in the hands of whoever grabs the microphone first.

2. Someone who is very successful at their job as a __________. They make quite a bit of money, and have a life that requires steady employment at that job in order to keep the wheels spinning, house heated, and food on the table. There comes a brief moment where they see unhealthiness in their home, and are faced with continuing to work at the pace they have, or spend time seeking healing for family...come what may with employment.

3. There is a pre-school class with 30 or so children in it. There is one teacher, and she realizes a student is missing. The rest of the school is off today for teacher inservice. She leaves the classroom unattended, and begins to roam the halls in search of the missing 4 year old.

4. I have about 99 things I need to do each day that are required. They're practical. They matter. If I don't do them, my day, or my job, or my relationships, or my family, etc....would be impacted negatively. But something comes along...not an assignment for work, not an opportunity to make money, etc. But an opportunity to build the Kingdom in a unique way, by giving of myself. I think I'm called to do the one, even if it leaves some of the 99 behind.

5. Okay, now you try and create one...

parenting as story-building

I love being a dad. I love even more being a daddy. But I worry both as a father, and especially as a father of three girls. This world is not very good at coming together to raise females in a healthy way. In fact, most places...even the ones considered to be "fun" or "innocent", want to take advantage of, sell things to, and teach my daughters as much untruth as possible.

Chapter 9 of Donald Miller's newest book is surprisingly good and captures some really good stuff, for him not being a parent himself. You can read it yourself for the specifics.

But the essence of it talks about how we as parents who know the God-given identity of our children, have a responsibility to tell a story with our family that captures and lives that out. How if we're simply existing day to day, even if we're growing and learning....but not purposefully living out a Kingdom story together, children will look elsewhere for their story.

I love my daughters. I want them to know who God has made them, and who God has called them to be. Not in a strict, demanding they have to follow these rules and walk this path. But in a free, God has released them from many of the chains of this world, and they're made able to live/exist differently by His Spirit.

But if I desire that for them, and for my wife, and my family as a whole, I need to be purposefully looking for ways to illustrate that is the story we are living. Experiences for my family, and for my girls, where they exist in that way, and develop their identity as a character in that story.

May God guide me in experiences of love, grace, mercy, sacrifice, etc; and may I seek them out purposefully as someone who is called to not simply exist within a story, but to help tell it by the Spirit of God, and to know where this plot is taking us...

perspective.

I support the construction and renovations needed in Decatur Public Schooling. (although this video is ironically hilarious. first few seconds we see students using paper and pencil next to available computers, and it goes right into a statement from Superintendent Gloria Davis "paper and pencil are gone" in regard to the need for new technology in classrooms). I love Mrs. Davis, and support Decatur Schools...but to say paper and pencil are gone is like saying let's not teach people how to walk anymore because driving is now possible. :)

Decatur Public Schools Video from Billy Tyus on Vimeo.

But I also think it's important to keep our perspective.



We have it pretty good. :) As we move forward as a community that desires to serve its future faithfully, may we retain a healthy appreciation for all that we have, both in substance and ability...

Locked Up!!!

Want to help me out?!
Or want to make me stay in??

I'm going behind bars for "GOOD"
PLEASE HELP BAIL ME OUT (click here)

(unless you want me to stay there! click here)

Your donation is my key to freedom, or another hour in the slammer! Be proud of the fact that together we're providing help and hope to kids and adults served by MDA in our community.

After you give, e-mail me and let me know whether you're donating to FREE me, or to make me STAY another hour!!!



Thanks for making a difference!

ἐμβριμάομαι

In reading the story of Lazarus, we find an interesting word. The word is found in John chapter 11, verse 33, and stood out to me this past Sunday. According to the NRSV, the word is translated "enebrimhsato", which means Jesus "was deeply moved".

It stood out to me, simply as an example of Jesus feeling an emotion. Not just any emotion, one strong enough to be "deeply moved", using a word hardly used anywhere else in the New Testament. Most of the time, when these words are pointed out, it's someone extending the illustration of how much Jesus must have loved Lazarus, etc.

I like that side of the coin. Obviously Jesus cared about Lazarus, and these women knew there was a relationship between them. There is a great illustration here of Jesus Christ being human, and experiencing a life such as ours.

But it also seems like there is a frustration/emotion here that focuses on the lack of faith in the Jews he was close to in these scenes. The word here meaning "was deeply moved" comes from a root word "brimaomai" which means "to snort with anger". This was not a sadness for the loss of his friend, this was a frustration with the unbelief of those who should be the first to believe.

This understanding, however, would also change the meaning of the verses that follow. "Jesus wept." would be another sign of his immense sadness for the unbelief of those closest to him. "See how he loved him." would be the Jews continuing to miss the reason for Jesus' sadness, blind to their own unbelief and the grief it caused Jesus.

Which opens up yet another new word that can come from this story. That we followers of Christ are quick to point out things that may grieve the Spirit of Christ, as long as it's something other than ourselves. May we each spend some time reflecting on what in our own life may be the "unbelief" that could cause Christ to "snort with anger", and shed tears on our behalf....

(it's gettin' hot in here...so ________)

It's always pretty cool when you hear a new message coming from a story you've heard a thousand billion times. These thoughts are stolen from Pastor G's message yesterday. I liked 'em.

In biblical Judaism, there were laws and customs on every area of life. How to make sacrifices. How to build altars. How to keep "clean" in pretty much any given realm of their daily living. But there was an area that hadn't been covered. Well, many areas probably, all surrounding a response to exactly what God was accomplishing through Jesus Christ.

But specifically here in John chapter 11, "How should a faithful Jew respond when someone once dead has become living again?"

Everyone knew to touch a dead person was unclean. To touch a sick person was unclean. So what of this man Lazarus, who was coming out from the grave as alive again? (it seems a different type of "resurrection" than Christ, but that's another blog) Should they go near him?

Jesus gives clear instructions to those around them, and they seem to be followed:

"Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

As Christians, we often find it hard to know how to respond when someone we know has been living apart from Christ for a long time all of a sudden begins walking around "as someone made alive." When we see there are still things that are binding them as they walk toward Christ. It's easy to simply point, it's easy to condemn, easy to tell them to take their bindings off.

But Jesus response calls us to respond by assisting/serving. Also interesting to note the different goals in approaching the dead/living. Someone who is still dead, you don't approach attempting to help remove the grave clothes. We first seek new LIFE, and THEN once they're living, we're called to come alongside and help in taking off the grave clothes that bind.

When we begin to consciously approach others who have come to new life in Christ, seeking what grave clothes we can help to remove (Method-ism); it leads us to a life where we are continuously asking ourselves as well. "What grave clothes are still bound on me?", and to seek people/Godly happenings that will help us remove these clothes, so that we may be clothed anew in Christ....

Truly Compelling & Saints

Yesterday's post ended with a phrase that made me want to share a few thoughts from Youth Group Wednesday night. "Oh, youth group", you're thinking. "Don't have sex, listen to your parents, and do good in school, etc.", you might summarize what I'm about to say.

You'd be more than slightly wrong.

Wednesday we talked about our identities as NEW CREATION. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We talked about how this is more than simply something God wants to do because it's nice and creative. In Revelation, the book that reveals God's desire/plan through Jesus Christ for all creation, verse 21:5 shows us a God who's pretty excited/giddy about what's going on. He points at what is happening and says "LOOK!! I'm making all things new!!"

We talked about our identity's as new creations, and how God is pointing at us, and telling all of creation "LOOK!! THAT is what I'm wanting to do with ALL things!"

I think I like the concept of "Saints" found in the Church...as long as we keep a healthy relationship to them. I think of people like John Wesley, BT Roberts, John Mason, and many others. Imperfect people, sure, but people that I think we could point to and say "LOOK! That is what God is wanting to do with all of creation!" Today, we honor those who have gone before us. Those saints. Those who God continues to remind us of, as embodying something incredibly close to what He's accomplishing throughout all things.

That's powerful. And not He-man powerful. Caputo powerful.

Infinitely compelling. I desire to live a life that, when I'm alive even would be nice, others and perhaps even God might point at once in a while and say "LOOK! That's what I'm doing in all things!" Guess I'd better get goin...