Four years ago today...

Four years ago today, I was clearing out the fridges and freezers getting ready to evacuate for a long, long time. We had no communication. We had no idea the city proper had become inundated over night by the four levee failures. All we knew was that my mother's place, on the North Shore (suburbs) were cut off from the world, trees down by the tens of tens of thousands. That's not an exaggeration. A power guy we saw (surveying the depth of damage) told us six weeks minimum to get power back. All that was on my mind was evacuate the family and let Susanne know I was alive. Once we reached Jackson (3 hours north), I got word to New Zealand, though I couldn't get through myself and I began trying to figure out if I should return to NZ now, or wait, if I could do any good in the US, or should I leave now.

When I sat in the Air NZ lounge in LAX waiting for my flight the next night, I watched in horror as the city's fate was revealed, the dead in the water, the roof tops, the boats, the police, the thousands of places I had known my entire life - gone.

Today, some one asked my reflections... I told him that though he had come here, joined us, was investing in the place, which is hugely appreciated, he'd never understand - because it wasn't his city, his home, his people. He's a West Coaster. Let's be honest - the West Coast culture has very shallow roots, no deep, deep sense of community - not like here. At best SF or Portland can vaguely understand - a little. But this was my people. It makes the sadness deeper, and yet the joy deeper as well.

This tenant is why I am a sent one here and not some where on foreign soil - the sadness and the joy is deeper when your own people are lost and when they are found. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

4th Anniversary of Katrina

Tonight, four years ago, I was here in NOLA, on my way from London back to New Zealand. I was visiting my family. I went to Vespers at the Abbey, and then to do last emails before this monster weighed in. I watched it build, hit and go on and on... When it subsided (3 PM) Monday (30th), the area we were in had not flooded but almost every house had tree(s) on them, some sliced in half. Every street was blocked. It took two days to get out. That next night, we watched from a hotel in Memphis as New Orleans filled up (The four levee breaks occurred after the storm was over, except for the Holy Cross Neighborhood (Lower 9th Ward), where it broke in a torrent after a barge busted it in one fell swoop instantly killing hundreds.

We've come SO far - SO far! We've got our city back, life is back, we're progressing as never before! NOLA is now the #1 destination for young adult entreprenuriel types! Since the President fired the FEMA heads here, the new FEMA leadership is acutally reduced the bureaucracy and opened the gates! It is amazing how much has begun happening in four months. YEA!





Yet, there is still SO far to go - So far to go! Pray for us, believe in us! There is SO much yet to do! And we need a new mayor, a mayor who will lead us - lead us all. Pray for the election next year!


My Brother-in-law, Gavin, wearing his shirt for New Orleans today on the 4th anniversary, remembering and praying for us ...all the way from Wellington, New Zealand. THANKS, bro.

For the Love of Another Ted Kennedy

This isn't about political ideology. Read my blog long enough and I'll offend you - no matter what your convictions are. This is about the dearth, complete void of leaders. Not perfect men and women, measured as new Messiah's, but men and women of character.

Look, I've lampooned Kennedy's use of his family's "royal" power to get him off from his snafu at Chappaquiddick so long ago, and his use of his influence to save nephews from their just deserves. I've even called him idealistic and a publican (Roman word for one who sways with the wind to keep the masses loyal...in the next election). With that said, the man was one heck of a senator, who did more than almost any president and more than any other senator in the US's young history. He did care for the common people, and he made a difference, often making big powerful people furious. He did know what he believed and he'd work to bring about change - MANY things excellent and good. So, I salute him.

BUT, my real point is the absence of an ethic, ethos, and culture of leadership. Sure, we have celebrity, thanks Big Brother. Sure, we have powerful people who make their future dreams reality, but we're seemingly in a void of leadership. Yes, agree or not with his politic, President Obama is an effective leader in character. Yes, there are few others. BUT folks, let's get honest, from the international and national level, to the local small town level, we are eaten up with a void of character, statesmen and stateswomen! From business leaders (what's his name - may we never say it again - for personally doing more to cause this global meltdown than any other 100 people in the world), to Religious (Don't even get me started!) to politics...

Just tonight, a small town mayor and city councilman north of New Orleans were indicted on bribery charges. It's everywhere, not limited to one group, one party, one ethnicity - we have a huge problem in our culture.

Some would say we've lost our Christian-Judeo ethic. Well, yea, we have. It's no longer normal to have ethics, convictions of virtue or the strength and character to lead from principled "right". Everyone seems to use their office for personal advancement, even when they do good things, it is really about earning favor for the next higher level election, or next business deal.

We need leaders who crusade against this in every sphere - business, politics, medicine, religion, military, society period! In a culture that is built - from the Enlightenment forward - hundreds of years - on the individual, the self, the American motto of "our dream", in a culture built on pursuing MORE, MY dream; in a culture centered on "prosperity", is it any wonder? Is not our present shallow sad reality not the consequence of our making? We sowed the wind and now we weep the whirlwind.

Our culture worships shallow, empty, soul-less celebrity, not people of note. We celebrate mundane morons, not people who have made a difference in society. We worship actors, musicians and athletes...as gods, giving them sway over our worldview, our time, our money, our clothing, our politics. Have you ever listened to these morons speak! OH MY! REALLY!?

I saw that Big Brother is being canceled. FINALLY! Yes, I celebrate this celebration of boring mundane immorality of strangers who are chosen to cause a stir amongst the morons...the 21st century coliseum built to entertain the masses.

Dear Lord, please send us leaders who can change the world!

More on the health care debate...

A friend emailed me this morning, saying the person carrying the weapons at the rally is actually African American and may or may not have been "anti-reform" of the system. Fair enough - point taken. There are nuts on all sides of this debate. The idea of carrying such weapons and it being okay is just overwhelming to me. That Arizona still allows such is crazier than the guy with the weapons. I've been to Arizona, pretty conservative no matter what you're color, save the poor latinos who usually look up at our successes from the bottom. They work hard though and I applaud their efforts.

Now to the debate... Look, those lambasting me on email (:-), I know we can't just pay out trillions of dollars. I get it! I do! We all pay taxes and worry about getting taxed more. My biggest suggestion and political impossibility (because they are so rich and can pile on the money to support candidates who back their issues and to pay the lobby machine like no one else, save maybe the NRA who fights everything, even the most sane legislation regarding weapons - another day on the NRA though) is that we create a system that removes the teeth from the monster giant insurance industry. That'll never happen because we don't do anything bold in our system, we compromise it down to watered down milk and make micro moves that are worthless.

Sure, whatever system we do come up with in reforming this broken system will have flaws. Every human system and human administered system does. Sure, if the government is involved it will have problems. You know the problems are self inflicted. We lobby our politicians who then poke holes, make loop holes and hamstring the system created. Example? The military industrial complex - whom we demonize so readily - only produce what congress dictates. And congress dictates the military buy stuff they don't want, need or find useful, but it gets bought and sent because congressmen bring home the bacon and get re-elected. Hmmm.

Now, back to healthcare, again: We need a system that doesn't bleed us dry in insurance payments. Imagine if we were able to achieve the co-op brand like the fellow in NYC (previous post last week)? What if we spent 20% of what we spend now? What if we reigned in litigation - occasionally warranted, but often frivolous rubbish? Maybe we'd only pay 15% instead of the 20% we pay now... Hmmm, from $500-600 in premiums, and another couple of thousand in an ordinary year of co-pays and your share stuff... So we instead of handing out $10,000-$15,000 per anum we handed out $1500-2000? It's still a lot, but wow, I'd love to have the $8,000-12,000 back!

One idea not floated seriously: Pay for medical school for any doctor who graduates and enters the work force, maybe reimbursing his costs over a five year period post graduation. Yep, it'd be expensive, but a fraction of what we end up handing over because of the deferred interest they must pass on to us to repay their costs. We'd actually pay less! What if there was serious tort reform on litigation? Stricter rules on guidelines on when you can sue - good guidelines though?

And the uninsured we don't want to pay for? We pay for them already through taxes and insurance premiums... because rather than preventative care, rather than seeing a doctor in a clinic or office, they go to the ER where it is unbelievably expensive! It does get paid for already by you and me through our taxes. What if we could get them care and it was actually cheaper?

Okay, some facts:
1. Healthcare reform has been political partisan ball for decades!
2. The first reform was attempted by President Harry Truman. The AMA spent $200M in today's money to fight and destroy the reform efforts.
3. In the 1970's President Nixon attempted reform of the system. This time, the liberal democrats derailed it, hoping to take over a mid-term elections and do it themselves so they got the credit. As you know, it obviously didn't work out.
4. In the 1990's the "Harry and Louise" ads derailed President Clinton's attempts at reform.
*Note the bi-partisan effort since WWII to reform a system that was headed for a train wreck!
5. I've read economic reports that say the reason we have fallen behind in education, GNP and exports can be directly related to the enormous amount of money we spend on healthcare - more than any other first world nation, but our life expectancy rates, our medical care, none of it is rated better than several other nations, including Australia, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and so forth...
6. We have 46M people in American who have very little or no access to health care. Therefore they don't go!
7. 18,000 people a year die in the USA from lack of access to healthcare!
8. 60% of all bankruptcies are due to medical bills! 75% of those same bankrupt people have insurance! The economic meltdown due to the mortgage crisis is a pimple on a whale's bottom next to this! It would be safe to say that the medical/insurance crisis in the USA is equally to blame as the demons who created the mortgage mess! Read the above one more time for me!

Whether you call yourself a conservative, a liberal or a cynic of both sides (me!), "Houston, we've got a problem!" This is an issue to fix now! What makes me sick is that there are some (GOP & DNC) who are honestly trying to work on it, but they are villanized by both sides, their own parties, for trying to fix it! The President is trying. I think he made a mistake giving it to the inept congress to do. There are too many personal political agendas and threats from home for them to fix it, devise it, etc. It needs his leadership, with serious consultation of the house and senate - both sides of the aisle.

Personally, I don't think we will get a public system. There are some advantages if we did. France's system is hugely successful. The UK/AUS/NZ systems also have huge merits. I have the experience with them and had none of the restrictive issues so accused. BUT, politics are politics and insurance companies are putting money in the coffers of politicians and they'll get what they want. Democracy, right? The people speak, right? Whatever... Money speaks - those with a lot of it get to speak, period. The people don't get jack.

BUT, back to pragmatics: We can get a co-op system, non-profit organizations like Washington State, New York State, etc... By the size of the need, it would take a little to fund and get up and running, but then they'd become instant powerhouses competing in the market place and beating the insurance companies at their game. Prices would come down because 46M people would have insurance and many of us, ME!, would line up to join as soon as I saw it work! The good ones would survive, the others would not. In many ways, there are advantages a public system doesn't offer... They have to be solvent.

So, in the debate, can we stop lobbying, oops - Freudian slip - lobbing rocks and lies and stop listening to the rhetoric!? Can we begin a serious debate and respect the opposing views of both sides - both have real points of truth, you know!

As saints, can we place our personal interests aside and place Jesus' interests in front. How about we throw away our interests and put Jesus' interests in place of ours? How about removing ourselves from the political wars and become the voice of Christ into a fallen system. Yes, not a better human system we've found to date, so let's work within it, be a voice of critique and conscience, not do the bidding of the power brokers. How about we speak into this situation with reason, taking on the reality that this is a complex situation, complex in every way, and remember there are lives at stake - 18,000 in the next 12 months! That's 1500 lives every month, an average of fifty lives a day!

How about we think collectively as a community, a society and think what's best for us? How about we care for those who dry cleaned our shirt, repaired our car, made our latte, check out our groceries, cut our lawns, repaired our window? We are so blessed, like never before in history! We are sooooo blessed. Now, let us bless! Will not God honor a generous people who are reflections of Him? Do we not trust the judge of all mankind to take care of us? Do we really need to build bigger barns to store away for the future and not live Kingdom minded? I have a story Jesus told on this if you want it.

May we have hearts that break for others, may we be people of peace, may we bless, may we prophetically speak into the political partisan wars and not puppet Al Sharpton or Rush Limbaugh. May we be those sitting at the gate judging and weighing and speaking hope. May we respect those on both sides. May we remember the weak. May we remind the rich and powerful. May we be generous in every way and receive generously. May we pray for congress and the President on this issue and ask the Spirit to guide and lead us to practical real change that blesses the nation and therefore, the world.

Saving Western Society - especially the USA

In the post war, there came an era of obsession with moving out, the American/Kiwi/Aussie and even Pom dream of suburbia! We introduced commuting, AC and TV - all of which are huge killers of community, and hence neighborhoods. The untold and immeasurable damage to a society's mood (e.g. depression) from loneliness, transit lifestyles of moving in an industrial/post-industrial age, etc, destroyed our roots. We're not even potted plants any more - we're spores - simply floating around.

I propose that the damage to the Gospel, which has always moved socially, is immeasurable as well.

I suggest a reading of three articles... all by Leon Krier, architect.



The first, The City Within the City, is about the communities within a community (city). The second, Building Heights..., is about how the old cities with lower skylines for the residential sectors and the small businesses posses a much deeper sense of neighborhood and community. Anyone having spent anytime in a European city, the old ones (i.e. not Berlin - rebuilt post-WWII) will understand this. The last, How Industrial Cities Destroy Society, is a poke in the eye to the god of progress, success, affluence and individual prosperity, in summation, the American Dream.

Again, why would a Christian link such architectural, city planning, social engineering to a blog about the Gospel? Simple - to understand abandon the Plato/Aristotelian approach to life (linear, single proposition, and implying singular solution or summary truth. Use a Hebraic worldview where it is all connected, all impacting and intertwined with the other.

Grasp that how we choose to live life - empahsis on the word "choose" - impacts our experience, our world view, our reality, our legacy we leave our children. We abandoned suburbia on purpose - because it felt soul-less. The realities of lack of people connection was just too real.

While living here in New Orleans, arguably not exactly a modern city in many aspects of technology, lifestyle or culture, we do love our AC and TV's do invade our lives. In very intentional means, we have pressed into the lives of our neighbors and sought with vigor to sacrificially love and engage with the people around us. It requires time and consequently we have sacrificed our time, our own casual pursuits. The TV's do not think of coming on until later evening, PTL for DVR's! We sit outside in the FRONT yard on evenings when we socialize together, we seek ways to break bread with our friends...

I return to my emphasis of the word "choose". We - if we're serious about reaching people with the hope, the Kingdom, the new life we proclaim - must live differently. We need to do this as individuals, as communities of faith, as the church.

As we are well into a reurbanization, we should be the early adapters who embrace this architecture and city planning, as it facilitates our delivery and expression and experience of the Gospel.

Pax Neighborhoud.
Mike

Free Speech, unless you disagree...

Rantings on the present dialogue (read "argument, cat fight, sludge fest") on US healthcare...



The New Orleans paper brought a stunning photo today... a man at an anti-President Obama rally on healthcare, outside of the event venue where he was speaking. The man was ordinary, at least as much as we can tell from the photo... or was he!? The stunning part was what he carried!

This man, touting "freedom" carried an AR-15 (mini-assault version of the M-16A2) with 30 round magazine inserted, with an additional 30 round magazine protruding from his hip pocket, along with a Glock on his left hip! Freedom?! Really!? Sure - it may still be some antiquated law in Arizona, which somehow touts itself as a forward progressive state, to openly carry weapons in public! Some progress when a guy can come for a firefight to a rally! Wow... There is apparently no law against conspiracy, threatening or menacing others, threat to the President's safety, or intimidation in the pursuit of democratic dialogue... And while he exercises his right - what about the rights of others to enter a public forum and feel safe? How can anyone feel safe when this guy is armed with an assault weapon and automatic pistol!?

I love those touting freedom, normally extremist on the right wing, who demonstrate in such asinine means. I love freedom when it is always right to exercise "MY" freedoms and sacrifice the freedom and safety of others! How is anyone to know this guy did not intend to hurt anyone? How is anyone to know that this guy isn't teetering on the edge of reality and lose it in shear fury at those who disagree with him on what's best for the nation? There is no way to know that and his freedom threatens others.

And democracy in action? REALLY? No, let me say that louder: R-E-A-L-L-Y-!-? The right and left extremists want their way, period. Anyone who disagrees with them is villanized... What is democracy anyway? Agreeing with you in your extremist views? We laugh off left extremists as leftovers from Height Neighborhood in San Fran, but somehow the right extremists get their own news channel and promote it as "fair and objective". Yea, $(@)*(&@!&@! right. How can we have democracy - basically and commonly defined as people discussing and working to an agreed upon solution together, under the rule of law, peacefully settling disagreements, and together working for the good of all? Where is democracy when you're not allowed to respectfully disagree? Where is democracy when the other guy carries an assault weapon? How can you have a safe and open, objective dialogue?

What I've noticed in this argument over health care is that there is so much slanderous lies going on, and it is believed, swallowed "hook, line & sinker" as the saying goes! It has clearly been reported that the news being released, perverting the realities of the proposed health care argument in congress is so twisted and untree - yet no one believes it! It was also revealed how the money backing these "free speech sites crapping out these lies" are all backed by the big insurance companies! I'm dumb founded...

AND the insurance companies sit back and laugh at the very people they are bilking do their dirty work for them and they are completely clean... "We're wanting to help reform the system, voluntarily." When is the last time big business reformed voluntarily? Oh yea, the real estate and mortgage reform, that's right - the one that sent the GLOBE into economic tail spin - when was that back in history. Oh yea, LAST YEAR! How big a lemming can one be!?

Why would any US citizen want to protect and defend the present status quo? I see the lies how people are denied care in the UK and other English countries... It's lies. Having lived and participated in the health systems of both NZ & the UK, it's lies. I've seen the adds how grand mother will die under this new system. Are you kidding me! Grandmothers are dying EVERY DAY when the demon legions from hell in the insurance business deny coverage, drop coverage, end coverage because you reached your limit, because it is too expensive, etc. TENS OF THOUSANDS die! I never saw that in the NZ, Australia or the UK! I see it here daily! Again, why do you want to defend this present system?



I've heard the arguments of it being too expensive? So, how is the care you get now working? Is it 25% of your income, or 33%? What is your deductible? Your percentage even when covered? You shelling out $10K, $15K, more? What about drugs? How's that working? My mother shells out $700 per month. Killing grandma, you said?

And the uncovered... I went to pick up a Rx last week. The lady came back and told me I owed them $55. I looked at her with dumbfounded silence. She asked if we had insurance and I produced my right to have affordable coverage card - which I paid a lot more than $55 for this month alone! It was then $13. Huge difference... When we've got 24-30% of the people in the US with no coverage... what is their health care? Let's get honest - we have to have people doing the jobs few want... repairing streets, fixing the hole in the wall your spoiled brats made, doing your dry cleaning, making your Frosty, making your latte, cleaning your hotel room, servicing your pool. Yet, while we enjoy affordable affluence, you want them to do so and have no health care. Let me tell you the consequences... their kids have more teeth problems, painful problems. They die earlier because they can't afford the Rx, or the doctor's visits when something is wrong, and forget the physicals to discover something not even detected through symptoms. And when the catastrophic happens - it's simple... they die. They can't ever even dream of the care you get - costing $100-$200-$500 thousand! So, we let them die... We don't know them, if we do, we do, we pause between latte sips, tisk, frown and make a passing comment about empathy for their family, and then continue our mindless gossip chatter. SHAME ON US!

I watched a news article on a doctor in NYC - he runs a co-op for restaurant workers in the city... THOUSANDS of them! He made a shocking statement... "When you take the big insurance companies out of the way, the cost is 20% what you pay now!" IMAGINE! Your health care being 20% the cost it is now! In the UK, the health care system costs $120Billion. There are 60 million people in the UK... do the math... what is the cost per person? When I was in London and sick, I walked to the clinic and saw someone within 15 minutes and had Rx within 15 more... Done. So, while the insurance companies plow out the manure on government run health care - they rake the profits and purchase another weekend house they'll never go to, and stock away their FAT retirement and live large... WHY? Because we defend the right to get rich off of others, no, us!

I want to throw up! Why cannot people sit and seriously look at the issues? They take days off work to go protest stuff they don't even understand, defend lies, get emotional to the point of a heart attack (HAVE YOU SEEN THE SCREAMERS ON THE NEWS!?) and yet have never seriously looked at the original source. Ever wonder why your teachers told you it is imperative to go to the original source? Simple - it can be taken out of context to prop up some one else's agenda and twisted beyond recognition from it's original intent! So maybe, just maybe instead of running off to Walmart to get posters and markers, first you might read the issues and see what they are proposing?

Having had the privilege to live overseas a couple of times (& missing it quite a bit when I see idiots like the gun slinger in Phoenix - I find it hard to even identify myself with being an American... that arrogant "my rights" attitude that is so "American" is so disgusting to me!) and I had the right to choose my doctor, dentist, hospital, etc, etc, etc. My care was amazing in regards to Rx and the supplemental insurance we carried for the ability to get some non-emergency procedure NOW was almost trivial in cost! I wasn't a cow in a herd - like the ones mooing at these rallies!

And by the way, the four letter word in the US is to call some one a "Socialist". It is an automatic predetermined villanizing slur. Why? What is a socialist? One who places the best of all over the rights of the individual? Is it really best to each be groping and fighting for my rights over the rights of all?

NOW, why would I write about this in a blog aimed at the church, and those claiming to follow Jesus? Simple - just what would Jesus do? If the case of weapons right, health care, and a host of other issues came in the court of heaven - which it will by the way, just which seat would Jesus occupy? The plaintiff of "my rights" and "my money", or the defender of the poor? The defender of the best for all before your individualistic selfish self? AND how will the judge of all weigh in on this? Will He really decide for those who claim that it is their money and they don't want to help pay for care for the poor, those we exploit and enjoy the benefits of, but don't care for? Is that really the side he'll choose?

So this is highly spiritual! This is seriously center stage of faith, and the church. It is not politics - it is spiritual formation, discipleship, and center of mission - what the church is about. No, not the institution, though the institutions of church are not dismissed from this discussion. It is God's church, people, I am addressing! You want to be spiritually mature? Aren't you done arguing election and free will yet? Want to be like Jesus? He never wasted time arguing those tits and taddles (Do you even want to know what a tit and taddle is?) but He focused on people, serving, caring for, ministering to, blessing them. You want to be a mature Jesus disciple, then act like Him, be like Him in heart. Your rights and democracy is not Biblical - being a servant centered and focused on others is.

5th Monastic Movement

Throughout history, as the church lost focus, there arose movements of radicals, who refused to be pragmatized into subdued complacency, compromise and comfort. These radicals banded together, sharing a burning passion, a call, shared values and the interdependence and support of each other to accomplish more together than apart - calling the bride back to her mate, Jesus.

There were several movements of these orders - each and every one held suspect and even outright denounced and persecuted at times! The first order was the desert fathers and mothers, who faced the same situation with a church drunk with the consumeristic and materialistic and cultural incest with the host culture and society! The second were the Celtic orders, begun by Patrick. There were the early orders, like Ignatius of Loyola (Jesuits - Jesus ones). Side note: Evangelicals often dismiss anything Catholic - forgetting that at the time there was but one church and we are her descendants be we protestant or Catholic, or Orthodox! Then came the Benedictines, and like orders for the poor.

Today, there is being birthed literally thousands of orders and neomonastic communities all prophetically calling witness, begging the church to return, to open the door that Christ might again rule a powerful church.

May we denounce the anemic shell we now embrace and return with a white hot passion for a radical following, not the weak whimpy pastel religion - but be captured in our hearts for the radical, wild, unbridled real Christ.

ReJesus Part 2

To continue the ReJesus quotes, I'll allow my friends, Alan and Mike to say it and say it well...This is from Chapter three, page 63:

Two quotes that open the chapter:
"Christ's whole life is all its aspects must supply the norm for the life of the following Christian and thus for the life of the whole church." ~ Soren Kierkegaard

"All religious institutional embeddedness - whether in the form of temple worship, unjust social systems, or repressive religious practices - is challenged by the revelation of God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus." ~ Gail O'Day

Alan and Mike open the chapter with this:
Iin Revelation 3.20, we hear these famous words of Jesus: "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me." We generally interpret this to say that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts and asking us to allow him to come in. Even though we can appreciate the sentiment, the verse itself has nothing to do with personal evangelism. The specific church in question in Revelation 3 is that of Laodicea, the famously lukewarm church that Jesus wanted to vomit out of his mouth. The image here is of Jesus standing outside of the church asking to come in. The question that should spring to our minds is, "What is He doing on the outside of the church when He is meant to be the Lord of that very church?" But of course, John's revelation of the seven messages to the seven churches is fiven to us as a warning that we not make the same errors. Jesus is outside the door of the church in Laodicea! How is this also true for many communities and organizations that claim the name Christian? The question we ask in introducing this chapter must be, is Jesus similarly outside the door of your church? Have we shut Him out of the fellowship of the insiders? And what has been the result? "

Let's look at the result! Hmmmm. Scary!

Intersecting Worlds!

This past weekend, we (our community here in New Orleans - Communitas) served shoulder to shoulder with 50 others from our world of coaching lacrosse. This serving together helps those we walk with see what it is, taste what it is, smell what it is to be a Jesus follower.

There is a teacher and coach from a lot of our players' middle school who needed some help. We asked and saw fifty five of us out there working shoulder to shoulder to help and say thanks through our sweat. There were parents and players, and our community, making this happen!

They felt and tasted the community sweet flavor of what being God's people is like - giving ourselves away! It was awesome!

At the end of the day, we had filled two large dumpsters! That's 60 cubic meters total!

ReJesus Part 1

"[Jesus] is presented [in the Gospels] as homeless, propertyless, peripatetic, socially marginal, disdainful of kinfolk, without a trade or occupation, a friend of outcasts and pariahs, averse to material possessions, without fear for his own safety, a thorn in the side of the Establishment and a scourge of the rich and powerful."

~ Terry Eagleton, "Was Jesus Christ a Revolutionary?", New Internationalist, May 1, 2008, page 24.

"The process of of refocusing the church will begin with a rediscovery of the fierce and outrageous life of Jesus. Too many people have become turned off to the church because the object of our faith seems bland and insipid. It reminds us of a quip made by the archbishop who is reported to have said, 'Everywhere Jesus went there was a riot. Everywhere I go they make me cups of tea!'"

~Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, "ReJesus", Hendrickson, 2009, p. 21

When we discuss the decline in Christianity [decline in church participation, identification with the faith, parallel social ills, e.g. divorce, etc, to the rest of society], we can easily charge people up to a desire to see Jesus' name made renown. Christians sincerely want the Kingdom to advance... ...right up to the point where you want to call them to change.

As I pondered how can I take the plethera of convictions I hold for what we need to do different, the bottom line is that we must stop - examine ourselves and posture our hearts, minds and attitudes that we actually need to change some things. I can even get an audience to admit this, until I label some of the things that must change if the church is not to slowly fade from the landscape of western civilization. Some how we think we're the exception to history, where the faith once was center stage: Egypt, Palestine, West Asia, North Africa, and even Europe... Somehow the Messianic belief that the US, and other Western English nations, will be the exception still exists... It comes down to this one issue: Will we embrace that we must change and re-examine some things... Let me boil it a simple list, inexhaustive as it is.

1. Our understanding of what it is to be a Christian
2. Our understanding of what it is to follow Jesus
3. Our understanding of what is the church
4. Our understanding of what the church is about
5. Our subtle but deep, deep synchrotism with our culture
6. Our completely antiquated and ineffective understanding of mission, evangelism and approach to the society in-which we live.

Allow me unpack these, briefly:
1. Our understanding of what it is to be a Christian: The contemporary 20th century efforts to help make the Gospel make sense resulted in a reductionist view of the faith; "all you have to do is..." and in four quick steps, you said some hokus pokus words, and "Voila!" you are a Christian, saved with no possible chance of ever being lost again. But in this effort, sincere as it was, turning, following, embracing, immersion, transformation was lost. We actually believe that when you look at what following Jesus is, what being a saint is, what salvation is, it is a complete capitulation (surrender unconditionally) to Christ's rule in your complete being, body, mind, heart, soul. It completely reorients your world view, and it becomes normative, not the exception of radical zealots who run off to be missionaries in mud huts, to live lives centered on Christ, the Kingdom and His agenda in every aspect and every relationship. Anything less is heresy, and less than the complete and real truth of His Words to us. John MacArthur and I would not agree on a lot of things, but this, I do believe he would applaud. "Can I get an Amen!?"

2. Our understanding of what it is to follow Jesus: To follow Christ calls for a change in how we value our lives - our time, our values, our priorities, our purposes, and our desires... It results in changing how we spend out money, structure our lives, make career decisions, determine (criteria used) for any decision, change, addition to our lives. This is a huge topic, but I'll give you one or two examples. This would mean the reason you take or decline a promotion/transfer that requires you to move would change from the American idolization with advancement and more pay, power, prestige, success in the world's eyes, to what is God calling you and your family to? What would be the impact of such a change? Are you being "sent" just as any missionary, or is it a distraction from the impact and present call where you live? Are we really supposed to be moving so much, or is being a people, being present in a neighborhood and community over longer time more effective and what God calls us to? Could not relationships rank above much of what we call success? This is a deep virtue within New Orleans, and with its many scars, as any city and culture has, this is one I hope the people here never lose!

3. Our understanding of what is the church: I'm about to meddle here. Is the Biblical purpose of the church to do so much stuff? Is 95% of what almost every Western church about (where it spends its time, money and energy (people hours)) effective in anything other than spinning wheels? Is being a people of God, a peculiar people, really about services, be it "worship" or "Mass/Eucharist" or is it us living life together and salting our society in face-to-face relationships. Too often we want to spend our energy on 1&1/2 hours of our week, instead of loving, serving, investing in others - which is face-to-face, requires humility and vulnerability... it's easier to be in charge and perform than be the real thing. Is God really interested in our performances... Don't get me wrong - the church should and must come together, but the real definition of the church is God's Kingdom invading the world.

One note here: We spend a lot of time banging our cymbals on political issues (don't get me started!). Can I suggest we just shut up and serve. I suspect we'll have a much louder voice, more influence when we do speak. We argue, fight, defend our rights (Aren't we crucified and to sacrifice our lives for Christ, humbly loving others?) too much! We're not called to prop up fallen political parties or agendas, but to BE Jesus to the world. Maybe, we stop and re-read the quotes at the top again. Maybe we re-read the Gospels (Jesus' biographies) and imitate him in action, attitude and posture... Our God is a humble God. Jesus is like the Father, but the Father, our Holy God, is a humble servant God! Amazing!

4. Our understanding of what the church is about: Related to the above, but calling for it's own spot in the sun, is what we're about. The US church and most other western churches are about, well, us... We've created consumer, me oriented approaches to the church. We "want to be fed (meaning the pastor preaches what I already believe and think), and we "want" ________ (fill in your own prioritized demands; good music, men's/women's/youth/kids' ministries. We "want" programs that scratch our itch. Rather than "be" a people - relationships, bonded together with people we share affinity and those different than us. It is supposed to be true community, common unity - not a club with the right associated social endeavors. Maybe we'd be tighter together, maybe we'd be more fulfilled if it wasn't about us, but about caring for the things Jesus cared about, and in the mean time, we'd actually make a difference in the very things we get so up in arms over, like crime, social decay, etc.

5. Our subtle but deep, deep synchrotism with our culture: This is simple, we've incorporated and made ethos (deeper presumptions about what is, what is right, what is true, what is normal) that come from the culture and are not Biblical. This is invasive in every aspect of life. Let me give you an example... Our kids MUST go to university (education as god) over, before and periminent to following what God might radically want to do in and through them... It goes like this, "You can do that after you get your degree and master's. It's more important that you go to University than to run off and do missions right now". Another god is comfort and security: "If you do that, you'll be poor. What about retirement savings? If you move there (the very words we got when we moved into inner-New Orleans in 2006 11 months after Katrina's devastation), it'll be dangerous! What about your kids?! Another god is most subtle but even more deadly: success - which manifests itself in the comfort of affluence. It's result is a god that calls for our time, energy, priority, purse, goals, aspirations and entertainment... distracting and minimizing our life's impact and purpose to the point that we lose and redefine, justify our present sad reality (go back to the quote at the top). Most of the US church is white, suburban, politically very right (without ever daring to examine why we hold the views we have, or daring to actually engage and consider what others are saying) and affluent...and we spend 99% of our money on us - because, wait for it.... "It's ours!" Wow! This toxic fatal god is the center stage idol in what is distracting and killing the church today! We'll follow God, as long as we can remain in our safe, comfortable setting... Missions is even transforming to suburban wealthy missionaries who jet to poor pre-Christian settings 2-3 times a year, speaking to thousands and jetting out. There may be effect there, that's yet to be seen. While these might augment those on the ground, they cannot replace it - for they create celebrity unrealistic expectations and hierarchies.

6. Our completely antiquated and ineffective understanding of mission, evangelism and approach to the society in-which we live: Get over it! The days and world of "Leave it to Beaver" are no more and they were only great if you were middle class and white! And under the skin, the sin was just as rampant as today in those circles. Here is some real arrogance on our parts... somehow the late 20th century leadership has internalized that the way it is now, the way we do things now is to be here forth set in stone and society, our methods, are equal to Scripture and shall not change. One problem...no one told society... Hence, things continue to change and we still argue arguments no one has! We still approach missions in our world the same way we do in pre-Christian developing nations! To say we might actually need to do some good missiology in our own setting is heresy to many! They act as if it is attacking the truth of Scripture, even when you point how Biblical leaders constantly analyzed their context and applied approaches for the present situation.

This is simple in our world! We bring the "Gospel" as if we're going to share some information that they have never heard before. Sure, there may be a case or two, microscopic portion of society, that would be shocked with the information. Yet, in our post-Christian world, the VAST, vast majority of the society knows the information (facts) of who we claim Jesus to be. Somehow, we continue to use this same method - as if saying it from us is hokus pokus. Sure, God can use it - but usually, we look small minded and frankly, often are! The challenge for 21st century post-Christian missiology (evangelism), of which I am an expert - it is and has been my world for years, is how to help them;
a) Dismantle their misperceptions of this Gospel we bring
b) Get passed the misrepresentations of Jesus they've experienced in one way or another and to actually hear us
c) Listen to "what we're saying". This is not a one off discussion today, but over time, in context.
d) Mostly, we must first earn that right, but living and serving and participating with them in life, in causes, in relationship - real relationship.

Folks, this change takes time, and requires a complete overhaul of how we understand being and living as Jesus followers! The missiology we call the church to requires vulnerable relationship with time invested. Many will dismiss this as ineffective and too small. Yet, somehow, the present method has the church declining in scary trajectories, and 99% of ALL saints NEVER in their life lead one person to know and follow Christ! They simply embrace a faith of sin management till its over! HOW FREAKING SAD! If 50% of the saints would simply love one person towards the Kingdom, in six years we'd see a 50% increase in the church in our nation, our western world. That would be amazing! That would get headlines... If we served and loved people - one family who is poor, one kid without a dad who is predestined (seemingly) for crime and being on the welfare dependence the government has, think of the change socially to our society!

I recommend you consider two works for further wrestling:
Hirsch and Fronst, ReJesus, Hendricks, 2009
Clapp, A Peculiar People, Inter Varsity Press, 1996

Enough for today! Ciao.