Celebrating the True MLK

I find it interesting that, over the past few years, EVERYONE seems to suddenly love Martin Luther King, Jr. He's quickly become a national hero -- with near saintly stature in our country. He has his own national holiday, his own monument in D.C., and nearly every group of people in America has come to revere Dr. King. And rightfully so. I am ABSOLUTELY thrilled that he's now receiving this attention.

But I find it strange, since it wasn't that long ago that very few people knew about Dr. King's life and legacy...or even cared. Growing up, I knew that Rosa Parks had a bus seat and Dr. King had a dream, but that's about as far as my history classes ventured into the Civil Rights Movement. And in his own time, he was wildly unpopular. A Gallup poll in 1966, just two years before his death, shows King as having only a 32% approval rating in the country. He was hated and opposed by so many people, including the FBI, that he was eventually assassinated. And yet today, King's approval rating is at 94%.

What has happened, unfortunately, is the sanitization of Dr. King's legacy. We have forgotten how radical and subversive King's message actually was, and too often succumbed to simply tweeting out a nice, catchy quotation. Again, it's fantastic that more people are learning about Dr. King and celebrating his life and work, but personally, I want to make sure I'm actually remembering the actual thrust of his message and ministry.

I want to remember how fervently he fought for the poor and the marginalized, the outcast and the downtrodden. I want to remember his courageous struggle for equality and justice for all, regardless of the color of your skin or the neighborhood in which you grew up. I want to remember how he stood up against the 'powers that be' when they had turned their backs on those with no power. Jesus set the tone for us, Dr. King admirably followed in his footsteps, and we are called to do the same. May we be people who honor King's legacy by continuing his work -- the hard, radical, gospel-centered work of striving for peace, justice, and equality for all.

I'll close with the profound words of one of my former pastors, Eugene Cho: 

"Don't reduce Martin Luther King Jr. to a yearly quote on social media. Live out the dream. Confront evil. Speak up. Seek justice. Love mercy. Pursue reconciliation. Build bridges. Love your neighbors. Forgive your enemies. Pray unceasingly. Live a committed life of peace, love, and justice. The God who deposited this dream into MLK is still speaking to us today. Be brave."

Jesus as Radical Social Activist

I came across these words from the brilliant Greg Boyd today with the help of my good friend Matt Allen. Over the past few years I have found myself disinterested with the whole game of politics. I bought into the hype of the Obama campaign, but have since repented of my naive hopefulness, coming to see the political world as relatively fruitless and unhelpful for the common person. Boyd's thoughts so beautifully encapsulate my own in a way I could have never written myself, so I thought I would pass them along to you. I hope you enjoy.

In my view, followers of Jesus are to be concerned with everything Jesus was concerned with – and Jesus was obviously concerned with more than people having a relationsip with himself.

Jesus was a revolutionary on social issues, so his followers are to be revolutionaries on social issues. Jesus entered into solidarity with the poor, so his followers are to enter into solidarity with the poor. Jesus revolted against racism by the countercultural way he treated and spoke about non-Jews , so his followers are to revolt against all forms of racism. Jesus revolted against classism by the way he embraced social and religious “rejects,” so his followers are to revolt against classism. Jesus revolted against sexism by the counter-cultural way he treated women — even women of ill-repute — so his followers are to revolt against sexism. Jesus revolted against legalistic religion that oppressed people, so his followers are to revolt against legalistic religion that oppresses people.

Jesus was a radical social activist, so his followers must be the same. It’s just that Jesus never once placed any trust in the government of his day to address social issues. He rather just addressed social issues by how he lived and taught. So too, we who are Jesus’ followers are to place no trust in government to address social issues. We’re simply called to address them by how we live.

Following Jesus’ example, we’re to place our trust in the power of the cross – the power of self-sacrificial love – not the power of the sword. We’re to trust the power of Calvary, not Caesar. And this is why I believe those who spend their time and energy trying to control the political arena “in Jesus’ name” are profoundly missing the point. Our job is to love, serve and sacrifice for sinners – not argue about passing laws against them. For we are to know that, whatever sin we see in others, our sin is much worse (Mt. 7:1-3).

A Tragic End to a Great Sunday

Yesterday was a great day that was capped off in a sickening way. I had heard about Osama bin Laden's death while we were at our small group, but was greatly troubled to come home, flip on the tv, and see the celebration and revelry taking place around our country and world. OVER SOMEONE'S DEATH!

Now I realize that posting these thoughts will make me seem unpatriotic, which is really is not the case. I love my country (most of the time) and am grateful to live in a nation that holds freedom, liberty, and opportunity as its priorities. Killing bin Laden may have been the right thing to do in this situation. I'm not sure. What I am most troubled with in this whole issue is the joyous celebration we are seeing over the loss of life and the perpetuation of the cycle of violence. Sing and dancing in the street?? Really??

This situation reminds me of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's dilemma over whether to kill Hitler in the midst of his reign of terror. Bonhoeffer willingly participated in a secret plan to assassinate Hitler, but never felt justified in his actions. He wrote of seeing murdering Hitler as a sin, but was willing to stand before God in judgment in order to do what he felt needed to be done. I wish we would have seen the attitude of Bonhoeffer shine force yesterday in the midst of this tragedy. I wish Obama would have said something like, "We regret that killing Osama bin Laden was the decision that had to be made today. While taking another person's life is never ideal, we felt that this was the lesser of two evils, the only way we could find to keep him from doing more harm to innocent people around the world." I could respect a statement like that. At least it would own the tragedy of the loss of life, rather than celebrate it.

I pray that we will begin to see the lunacy of thinking that one more act of violence will finally end the cycle of violence. I pray that we will become people who choose non-violent resistance as an alternative to violence. I pray that we will have the courage and creativity to find subversive ways of non-violently turning the other cheek, rather than blindly gouging out another's eye. In the strong words of Jesus to a room of cowering, hurt, vengeful disciples, "Peace be with you."

Taking Sides

"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

 -Elie Wiesel

This seems incredibly important in the midst of my transition into a more postmodern, post-Christendom ideology. Postmodernity can often be accused of moral relativism, failing to ever take a stand on difficult issues, which is a fair criticism. I feel like we are trying to be a listening voice that offers grace far before we ever offer judgment. But this does not mean that we need to be wishy-washy about injustice and oppression taking place in the world. 

 

Christians must be vigilant about standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We must give always give voice to the voiceless and support the marginalized. I love this quote from Elie Wiesel, reminding me to stand strong against the oppression and victimization that can easily take place in our world. I hope you'll stand with me.

Another Quote from Walter

I know I have been writing a lot about nonviolent resistance over the past few weeks, but I refuse to apologize. This is such a necessary conversation for the church and our world, and I thank God for people like Walter Wink (among others) who are calling attention to the abusive, oppressive, violent cycle in which we often operate. The latest chapter I have read in Wink's book, The Powers That Be, ends with this bold declaration, which I agree with wholeheartedly:

I have come to see that what the church needs most desperately is precisely such a clear-cut, unambiguous position. Governments will still wrestle with the option of war, and ethicists can perhaps assist them with their decisions. But the church's own witness should be understandable by the smallest child: we oppose violence in all its forms...We can affirm nonviolence without reservation because nonviolence is the way God's domination-free order is coming.

I Deny the Resurrection

This video is BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL, and COMPELLING. I was in the audience when Peter Rollins gave this talk at Rob Bell's Poets, Prophets, & Preachers conference. I was in tears as he finished. The last 30 seconds are what I see as the heart of the good news of Jesus. I hope you enjoy his words as much as me. AMAZING!

I Deny the Resurrection from Peter Rollins on Vimeo.

HT:  Peter Rollins

LeBron as a "Runaway Slave"?

Often when Rev. Jesse Jackson makes a public statement it simply seems like he has an axe to grind, but his thoughts on LeBron James have me intrigued. In the wake of James' decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Miami Heat, the owner of the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, lashed out at LeBron verbally, calling his decision "cowardly" and saying that everyone was finally seeing "who he really is." I was shocked when I heard Gilbert's words as he was incredibly mean and judgmental of LeBron for his decision.

Rev. Jackson has an interesting take on Gilbert's reaction. He says that Gilbert's words were "mean, arrogant, and presumptuous" and that he is treating LeBron like a "runaway slave."

"He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship -- between business partners -- and LeBron honored his contract." - Rev. Jesse Jackson

While I have not given theses words ample time to soak in, I think I initially agree with Jackson. We suffer from a high sense of entitlement here in America, and I feel like this is what is happening here. LeBron was a free agent and had faithfully fulfilled his duties as a Cavaliers employee, so I don't see why he wouldn't be free to make whatever decision he wants. For some reason, though, Gilbert thinks that LeBron owes him some sort of extended loyalty, even though Gilbert recently fired his general manager and head coach. Where is his loyalty?

Typical Christian Outreach

Some churches are good at reaching out to the world with acts of social justice, but very few do this outreach without strings attached. We tend to think that we also need to share the "gospel," but fail to realize that this act of justice actually IS the gospel, not just some presentation of the 'Four Spiritual Laws' or the 'Romans Road.' May we be people who act compassionately and generously just because it blesses the world not just so that we might have a chance at evangelizing.

HT: The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus

Life in the Two Kingdoms

"A person has to be thoroughly disgusted with the way things are to find the motivation to set out on the Christian way. As long as we think the next election might eliminate crime and establish justice or another scientific breakthrough might save the environment or another pay raise might push us over the edge of anxiety to a life of tranquility, we are not likely to risk the arduous uncertainties of the life of faith. A person has to get fed up with the ways of the world before he, before she, acquires an appetite for the world of grace."

~Eugene Peterson

I must admit that I found myself caught up in the hype of the Obama presidential campaign...and I knew better. Now don't get me wrong, I still believe he was the best candidate for the job. I still believe that people like him can begin to right some of the wrongs of this country and world, can move our nation toward justice and equity for all. I still believe that people like Bono and Jeffrey Sachs can move us toward the elimination of global poverty. I still believe that governments and institutions can, and should, be instruments for good in this world. I just can't buy into the hype, though, the empty promises inherent in any kingdom of the world.

I put my trust, rather, in the kingdom of God. I trust that the upside-down way of life that Jesus put on display for the world will ultimately transform this world. I have seen enough to know that by giving up all that I have, I will have so much more, and so will everyone else. I have seen enough to know that loving my enemies and praying for those who persecute me will always result in less bloodshed than a life of seeking revenge and redemption through violence. I have seen enough to know that the way of Jesus Christ is the best possible way of living and that I would give my life to this dangerous, compelling existence any day over an allegiance to even the best possible kingdom of the world. I choose the world of grace.

Harsh Words Against Passive Faith

I debated about whether to post this picture on here because of its more personal nature. I'm not one who typically supports the belittling of others, especially other pastors, and this cartoon would be especially controversial here in Seattle because Mark Discoll happens to pastor here. While I do agree with the cartoon, one could easily substitute 'Driscoll' with most Christians, as most of us claim to want to help but usually fail to offer any real support. I hope this cartoon serves less as a criticism of one individual and more of a critique of Christianity as a whole.

HT: ASBO Jesus

Thoughts on Health & Peace

We are talking about war tomorrow in my 'Essential Community' class and were required to read a chapter of a book by Craig Rennebohm called Souls in the Hands of a Tender God. This quote stuck out to me as being vitally important for working toward health and peace in this world.

"Health and peace begin each day, in every community, with how we treat one another. How we act on the larger stage of human affairs is rooted in the ways we have practiced at home and on the sidewalks and street corners of our communities. We cannot ignore our sister or brother's suffering, we cannot turn away from the stranger in need before us and expect that we will somehow have the knowledge and skills we need to create well-being and lasting security on the national or global level. A peaceful world grows only on the foundation of compassionate community, laid down as generations of humans cultivate and spread the practices of companionship, the art of hospitality, the gift of listening, and the capacity to walk with one another--and especially the stranger--toward a shared well-being."

~Craig Rennebohm

The Revenge Lie

I spent this last weekend rock climbing in Oregon and took this picture during the drive. Every so often I am reminded of the anger, hatred, and revenge that is so ever-present in this world. This sign on the back of a semi-truck was one of those examples. Now don't get me wrong...I'm as angry about terrorism like September 11 as the next guy and wish America would never have had to suffer through that horrific event. But I continue to be surprised by the incredibly ungracious and unforgiving quest for revenge and retaliation that has permeated American culture since that fateful day.

The true sadness is that this desire for revenge is built upon a lie. Scholars call this lie the 'myth of redemptive violence,' that the next act of revenge and violence will settle the score once and for all. We all know that this is not true. Violence only begets more violence. That next, and assumed last, action only perpetuates another action..and another action...and another action.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is clear that the appropriate response to violence is grace and peace. The only way that we ought to respond to terrorism is through forgiveness and love, not hatred and retaliation. I understand that some might argue that this way of living would never work, that it would never stop violence and terrorism from happening. Maybe they are right. But maybe they aren't...we don't know because no society has ever tried it. It is obvious that war and further violence has not succeeded in ending violence, so I wonder what the world might look like if took the words of Jesus seriously when he calls us to turn the other cheek and walk 2 miles rather than 1. At least that seems closer to redemption than redemptive violence.

Some Christian Controversy

One of my favorite musicians over the past few years has been Derek Webb. He became relatively popular through being one of the founding members of Caedmon's Call, but has been doing solo work now for about 5 years.

Derek is a prophet for our current church culture, and has been criticized in similar ways as many of our biblical prophets. His lyrics have a beautiful way of calling out the negative issues of the church while still revealing his obvious belief in, and hope for, the church. Musically, he could probably be categorized as a bluegrass singer/songwriter, with powerful lyrics and strong acoustic guitar.

His newest album, Stockholm Syndrome, has received a great deal of scrutiny. Musically, this cd is a departure from his usual style, incorporating various genres of music including dance beats and a 50's doo-wop ballad called "Frankie, Please." The primary criticism has been aimed at the song "What Matters More." The song is critical of Christian culture for saying they affirm certain things but not backing up their words with real, practical actions, for not giving a "shit" about the "50,000 people who die everyday." Obviously it is the use of that sort of language that is receiving the negative press. I highly recommend this album and any other work that Derek Webb has done. His music has greatly impacted my life and challenged the way I approach the church and ministry. Enjoy this video of "What Matters Most."

God of Justice

I recently stumbled upon a new blogger that has quickly made his way into my blogroll. I was fascinated by his thoughts on the new Derek Webb cd (which is great by the way...check it out) but was simply amazed by his post on justice. Check out the blog entry HERE and enjoy this video of the song "God of Justice" by Tim Hughes, which has become my new favorite worship song over the past few weeks.



HT: Brad Ruggles

A Word of Warning

"All Revolutions Devour Their Own Children"

~Ernst Rohm

I find myself wrestling with this incredibly enlightening thought. Throughout history, as revolutions arise and individuals fight for personal and communal freedoms, they leave in their wake the coming generation, their children. As the mother is fighting for her right to vote (a noble cause), the children are left at home fending for themselves. As a black father marches the streets toward liberty for his people (something worth fighting for), his children wonder why they are home alone again.

Of course I'm using hyperbole, but I find myself wanting to balance this tension between fighting for justice and peace in this world while still seeing my ultimate ministry as being toward my family. As I prepare to someday pastor a community, I must wrestle with not neglecting those closest to me while trying to make an impact in my community. What would it look like to care for the world and properly love my neighbor without harming my family and the future of my children in the process?

A Night Well Spent

Mandy and I saw a movie this weekend that I am officially recommending to all of you. We watched "The Soloist" on Saturday and both loved the film. Jamie Fox plays a schizophrenic, homeless musician who attended Julliard at one point but was forced to quit because of his mental illness. His primary instrument is the cello, but as the movie begins he is playing a beat-up violin with only 2 strings. The plot unfolds around an LA Times columnist (played by Robert Downey Jr.) writing an article about the man, and the friendship that ultimately forms between both men. Downey's character gets the man off the street and playing cello again, serving to greatly influence his life and health.

The movie offers much insight into the life of extreme poverty in a major city. We see homelessness constantly in Seattle, but it is nothing compared with the sort of poverty displayed in "The Soloist." Each day is a struggle to survive both the pangs of hunger and the threat of physical harm. The film also helped me better understand how terrible schizophrenia must be. There is a scene in the middle of the movie where the audience can almost physically feel the confusion and annoyance that must be constantly present with this awful disorder. Overall, the movie had great acting, a compelling story, taught me so much about life on the streets, and left me inspired to seek change for the people I encounter each day.

Irony of the MHGS Location, Pt. 2

As promised, the second strange irony of the location of the school I attend comes in the street it is on. In the midst of the greatest financial crisis our country has faced in over 60 years, I find myself studying at a school squarely resting on "Wall Street." That's right...Mars Hill Graduate School, on the corner of Elliott and Wall.

I recently heard some statistics about the city of Detroit, that: they have a 23% unemployment rate, that 30% of the city is on food stamps, and that 1 million people have already left the city. While these numbers are certainly inflated due to problems in the auto industry, they do help us see the crisis our nation currently faces. It only seems fitting that while New York's Wall Street is frantically searching for answers to life's problems, we sit on Seattle's Wall Street dreaming of new ways that the world might find redemption and restoration. It seems that America's predominant story of individualism and greed has finally proved itself inept and it appears time that a new story, a counter-narrative of community and self-sacrifice, spring up in its place. I count it a blessing to have this opportunity to study and dream, to wonder about how the Kingdom of God might invade this world.

As people scramble for any way to feed their families, the church must become a place of refuge, a place of hope, a place to find real, tangible answers to life's real, tangible problems. As the elders of our community prepare for retirement but are forced to realize that this is no longer an option because their 401k has tanked, communities of faith must step into their God-given roles of being a voice for the voiceless and the marginalized, the widow and the orphan. And as our country is faced with an onslaught of doubt about the future, followers of Christ must balance the tension between being sympathetic to these real fears while being hopeful and proactive about creating a new future for this world, a new heaven and a new earth here in this place.

Irony of the MHGS Location, Pt. 1

The school I attend, Mars Hill Graduate School (MHGS), sits in a beautiful area of downtown Seattle, just one block from the water, overlooking the Puget Sound. I couldn't be happier that its location allows me to walk the streets of Seattle each day, taking in the diversity a downtown metropolis has to offer. Until a few years ago the school was located in a business complex in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle. I cannot imagine studying in any other building than the one we are currently in. It would just not be the same.

At the same time, too, the location has a number of different ironies that make it an intriguing place to do seminary (more on the second irony in an upcoming post). Mars Hill sits sandwiched in location between an upscale hotel and a non-profit organization that reaches out to Seattle's homeless and poverty-stricken population. To our west we are faced with the wealth of our country, and to the east, the poverty. We find ourselves in the middle, trying to navigate life in this ever-increasing gap.

This is definitely an interesting tension to have to balance. As I spend these three years preparing for a life of vocational ministry, I must be willing to step into this often awkward tension that has been created in our society. As a pastor, will I be willing to walk this tightrope? Will I not let the rich of my congregation sleep easily in their greed and selfish ambition, but be strong in calling them to new levels of devotion to God, especially monetarily? With the poor in our community, will I be gracious and compassionate, but yet strong in calling forth hard work and dedication in producing sustainable living for themselves and their families? And most importantly, will I help lead the kind of community where both sides of the coin (pun intended) feel welcomed to the conversation? Will we produce dialogue amongst us that asks challenging questions and seeks hard answers, but ultimately leads to an active pursuit of justice and peace in our world?

Helpful Thoughts on Loving Your Neighbor

Shane Claiborne (author, speaker, & founder of The Simple Way) has recently co-authored a list of 50 practical ways we could better love our neighbors. This list was very helpful to read through I will continue to pray about what things God might be calling me, my family, and our house to in the coming months. The following are the first 10 things on the list:

1. Fast for the 2 billion people who live on less than a dollar a day.
2. Contact your local crisis pregnancy center and invite a pregnant woman to live with your family.
3. Ask your pastor if someone on your church’s sick list would like a visit.
4. Join an open AA meeting and befriend someone there.
5. Adopt a child.
6. Mow your neighbor’s grass.
7. Volunteer to tutor a kid at your local elementary school. (Try to get to know the kid’s family.)
8. Grow your own tomatoes – and share them.
9. Ask a small group in your community to meet regularly for intercessory prayer.
10. Build a wheel chair ramp for someone who is homebound.

Click HERE for numbers 11-50.

Seeing Through New Eyes

For my mission class we had an assignment of doing something missional as small groups and being prepared to present about it to the class. Yesterday morning my group finally did our "project". Each member of my group spends a decent amount of time walking the streets of downtown, but we all generally walk with purpose, simply trying to get from Point A to Point B, missing the people and faces crying out for help in between.

We wondered what it might look like to give ourselves the space and time to walk without purpose or agenda, simply letting God reveal who God would want to reveal. We couldn't have been more blessed by the process. We ended up buying breakfast, setting it out on benches near a common downtown bus stop, and sharing a common meal with a bunch of random strangers. It was such a blessing to hear people's stories (i.e. Buddha & Lisa), see people's faces, and unite with our neighbors around the commonality of food.

I continue to process a number of things from the experience. One of the people we met, Lisa, kept saying over and over again how thankful she was that there were people who cared. Then she said something I will never forget. She said that she wished the news would have been here to see us because this was good news. GOOD NEWS. I couldn't believe her language. We hadn't uttered a word about Jesus, but somehow the good news of the gospel of Christ had gone forth.

Another thing I noticed was that we didn't need to do any evangelism (proclamation of the good news) in order for the word to get out. Lisa did all the work for us. She must have brought 10-15 other people over to have breakfast with us in the hour that we were there. I'm starting to see this as the nature of mission and evangelism, that if your news is good enough news, you won't have to preach it because others will preach it for you. I think about the woman at the well...when she gets ahold of the 'good news' she tells her whole village about it. Jesus doesn't have to say a word to those people because the woman has done all the work for him. Or think about Zacceus...when he hears the 'good news' he tells his whole family, without Jesus having to preach a word to them.

I wonder what it might look like to actually trust that the gospel of Christ is good enough news that if the world catches glimpse of it, they will spread the message without us saying a word. Maybe this is at the heart of St. Francis' words on preaching without words. May our message truly be good news for the world.