DNC--Senator Obama's Speech

If you didn't get a chance to hear Barack Obama's speech tonight, do yourself a favor--find it and listen. I've rarely, if ever, heard something so inspiring.

Seeing Through the Microscope

So tonight I attended a house gathering of Barack Obama supporters. That's not to say I'm definitely voting for Mr. Obama in November. Nor is it to say I'm voting for John McCain. But as I've been searching the issues, reading what the candidates are saying, I wanted to see what was happening and being said at the local level.

I fully expected a room full of hip, urban, young people of varied backgrounds. What I discovered was that I was the youngest in the room by a good 30 years. Granted, this was a small meeting for which about 80 invitiations had been distributed door-to-door by the host, but I confess it surprised me.

Fairly quickly we got into the "Go around the room and introduce yourself" bit. The ironic thing about it was that these "liberal" folks were just as quick to disparage anyone who might be a Republican as those right-leaning folks whom they accuse of doing the same to them. I heard several times how they couldn't imagine in their wildest dreams how anyone in their right mind could ever vote for a Republican. One person even went so far as to say Republicans must have their heads buried in the sand.

So it was interesting when it got to me. In a poetic justice sort of way, I got to go last. I told them it was a good thing they were sitting down because I am a registered Republican. But then, as graciously yet honestly as I could, I proceeded to tell them precisely why I was there. In all sincerity, I'm trying to make a decision based on what the candidates have to say and what they stand for and what kind of character I perceive them to have and how they handle the issues rather than on what some political pundit or talk-radio loudmouth has to say.

I shared with them that I think the problem with out politicians today is that they simply opt for what's expedient to the exclusion of what is right or what is healthy long-term. Too often they make decisions based on what will get them re-elected or what vote will garner more money rather than what is actually good for the people and the country they represent. And we can't blame just one political party--both Democrats AND Republicans are to be held accountable for many of the problems of not just the last eight years, as many at the meeting had been quick to point out, but the last 16 years and beyond. More than that, it's not just politicians who are to blame, it's all of us--the American people. We have become a country of people obsessed with possessions, comfort, and personal "rights" to the exclusion of ever making sacrifices for the good of others and all. We demand of our leaders that they enable us to live these hedonistic and utterly selfish lives. We consume without ever thinking of how it affects our brothers and sisters here, around the world, and in the future.

I'm leaning toward Barack Obama in part because of how I see his faith in Jesus Christ informing his decisions. From what I've seen so far, he seems to be a man who is deeply engaged in wrestling with the issues we all face--and not just in a politically expedient sort of way. The way he speaks about them betrays an acknowledgement that not everything in life is simply black and white--there are many shades of gray in this world. We cannot afford to adopt pat answers because our politics or religion beg us to. Jesus never fell into the trap of giving easy answers to hard questions. In fact, He often confronted such questions with more questions. There are no easy answers.

What struck me the most about this setting, was the sad fact of how quickly we create and adhere to caricatures of others. The folks at this gathering--good people, concerned for our country and for others--so easily resorted to name calling and strawman arguments. It was an us-versus-them mentality. This was evident when I shared my views on the immoral nature of abortion and why we should have laws against it. One man stated he was a Roman Catholic and that he thought abortion was immoral, but that we can't legislate morality. I didn't respond--I simply said I disagree but that this meeting wasn't a place to get into that discussion. I knew I wasn't going to convince any of them there of my position anyway (although, he was WRONG of course--we legislate morality all the time as in such areas as murder, stealing, welfare, healthcare, and so on).

My hope about Barack Obama is that he is not a black and white, us-versus-them, pat answer, party-line kind of person. I hope that he is a person whose confessed faith in Jesus Christ engages every part of his being in a way that it informs and shapes the decisions he makes. It may not always lead him to come down on the same side of the decisions that I would, but at least I think I can trust that he is engaged in that theological, philosophical, ethical process.

Shortly before I left, one of my last comments was to reflect on what I read a delegate say at one of 2004's national conventions. He said that if we could stop looking at each other through a telescope and start viewing each other through a microscope we would be much better off. I think what he meant was that the more we start seeing each other as brothers and sisters instead of these sad caricatures we want to make of each other (whether it be political, racial, ethnic, economic, national, and so on), the sooner we'll realize how much we need each other, and how much we owe to each other as fellow human beings.

And really, isn't that what Jesus demonstrated? He came down to the personal level to rescue us from the sinful caricatures we'd become--from the hopelessly self-centered, myopic, hateful, people we are. As Athanasius (and some say Irenaeus before him) once said, "God became one of us so that we could become like Him."

I'm still not sure who I'll be voting for--I could certainly change my mind between now and November. But two things I pray for is the grace to be Christlike to others around me during this political process, and that God would guide us (and we would listen!) to elect the person who will most reflect His will.

Coincidence? I think not.

Remember the old Time Life Books commercials for "Mysteries of the Unknown"? They always ended with the phrase, "Coincidence? I think not."

Ever since we've been here in Toledo, there have been so many times where something has happened that left me saying "Coincidence? I think not!" I'm not talking paranormal experiences, or ghosts in our hallways. God has been working in our lives and circumstances in incredible ways--ways I almost wouldn't believe if I weren't experiencing them.

I've already mentioned how I met Dan Rogers here, so I won't go over that again. But in the last couple of weeks, a few more experiences have left us nearly breathless.

We were visiting Trinity Church of the Nazarene two weks ago. We walked in and were greeted warmly by several people, but then as we entered the sanctuary, a woman came up to us and asked who we were. We told her, and then, out of nowhere, she asked if I might perchance have been a worship leader or could lead worship. Of course I've led worship for over 8 years prior to this, so I told her that. She was elated, said she'd been praying and asking God to bring someone her way who could lead worship at the Toledo Christian Schools' junior/senior school retreat. Barb and I just felt like God had certainly brought us together with this woman that morning. After praying about it, I agreed to lead it. I'm still amazed; who knows what God has in store for us and Emmaus Road Church as a result of the upcoming retreat?

A second, maybe even more amazing incident happened last weekend at the Leadership Summit which was put on by the WillowCreek Association. I had heard about it when we visited a large (8,000 person) church which was hosting the Summit in Toledo via satellite connection (there were 100,000 people across the U.S. involved, btw), but for financial reasons I had decided not to attend. Then, two weeks before the Summit, Dan from the mission e-mailed and asked if I wanted to be their guest at the event--which meant everything was paid for.

So, I went, and God once again worked in an amazing way. The testimonies and teaching of the speakers continued to confirm in my heart that we're doing what God has for us. But more than that, Dan introduced me to about a dozen church leaders from across Toledo who are at the forefront of ministry and ministry ideas. Suffice it to say that I'm now set to meet with several of them in the coming months to talk about church planting, to network with other church planters and leaders, and simply to receive encouragement and wisdom from them.

One such person was Lee Powell who is the pastor of Cedar Creek, the 8,000 person church hosting the Summit. Because I've been to the Cedar Creek, Toledo campus on several occasions, I'd heard him talk about his vision for planting 12 new churches by 2015 (6 would be part of Cedar Creek and 6 would be from other traditions). On Thursday when Dan introduced me to Lee, we spoke for a minute about a shared Nazarene background (his grandmother was Nazarene and his first church experience was in a Nazarene church) and briefly about Emmaus Road Church. But even more amazing was the next day, Friday, when I was talking with another pastor friend, Bill Roman (my local spiritual mentor) from Hope Lutheran, and he once again pulled Lee aside to introduce me. Obviously we'd already met, but Lee went a step further to tell me about their 12 by 2015 initiative and asked me to e-mail him because perhaps we could be one of the churches they sponsor that would not be a part of Cedar Creek itself. I was blown away.

I'm not saying anything is a done deal, or that any of these meetings will necessarily mean huge things for us or Emmaus Road Church, but there was no way that on my own or in my own strength I could have been connected with so many people who have the potential to be friends and helpers on this journey had it not been for God working things out this way.

Finally, I want to briefly mention about the possibility of getting a building for Emmaus Road church to meet in. About 3 months ago, I met Bruce Ott, the owner of a dental lab that makes crowns and bridges. I was out visiting and praying for people in the community when I stopped by his office. I soon found out he was a believer and at the end of our conversation he said, "If you guys ever need a building for your church, let's talk because we have a space for lease next door." I told him I'd pray about it and get back with him.

Fast forward to three weeks ago. I went back and spoke with him again in further detail about the building. He showed me around the space and told me in effect that they really would like to get some good neighbors in there and would love if it was our church. He said they'd really like to work with us on a price. To make a long story short, he offered it to us at 1/3 of price they were asking through their realtor! It's 1,000 square feet down stairs and has 3/4 rooms upstairs. It really would be perfect for ERC because it would provide plenty of worship space as well as children's ministry rooms upstairs. Not only that, but it's on one of the busiest streets in Toledo and only about 5 blocks away from our house.

The last part of the story has to do with the ability of Emmaus Road Church to afford the space. Even though it's an awesome deal, the only income we have at this point is our tithe which isn't enough to cover the cost let alone the utilities and such. But God knows this already. As we were praying about this, and before we even made the need known to anyone, we got a check made out to the church from Barb's grandfather. He said he felt God laid it on his heart to begin giving this amount monthly to ERC! Of course the amount more than put us over what we need for rent and would cover utilities also. Like I said, we hadn't told anyone about the need. God placed it on his heart and provided beyond what we could even imagine.

I know this has been a long entry, but I wanted to praise God and also encourage you, wherever you are, that God works in amazing ways when you put yourself in position to see and receive whatever it is He wants to do in your life.

One of the speakers that spoke at the Summit said, "God doesn't want to make you safe. He wants to make you brave." I hope that if you're not already putting your full trust in God by getting out of your comfort zone to a place where God can use you, that perhaps this post might be the encouragement you need to begin doing so today.

Rant against Crocs

I thought this rant against Crocs was hilarious. Make. It. Stop.

More from Solzhenitsyn

So I've been reading a some more of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's writings and came across his address to students at Harvard University just over 30 years ago. It's remarkable how prescient is his analysis of our current state of society--as if he foresaw where America and much of the West would be 3 decades later. I might also argue that this address might be one of the earliest and clearest portents of postmodernism as we are experiencing it today. Finally, his prescription for the way forward preceded and yet stands perfectly in line with where many of our leading contemporary Christian thinkers believe we ought to go.

While I won't copy all of the address here, I would like to reprint his concluding remarks. If you'd like to read the address in its entirety, you can read it here.

Here are his final remarks. Tell me if they aren't spot on.

"I am not examining here the case of a world war disaster and the changes which it would produce in society. As long as we wake up every morning under a peaceful sun, we have to lead an everyday life. There is a disaster, however, which has already been under way for quite some time. I am referring to the calamity of a despiritualized and irreligious humanistic consciousness.

To such consciousness, man is the touchstone in judging and evaluating everything on earth. Imperfect man, who is never free of pride, self-interest, envy, vanity, and dozens of other defects. We are now experiencing the consequences of mistakes which had not been noticed at the beginning of the journey. On the way from the Renaissance to our days we have enriched our experience, but we have lost the concept of a Supreme Complete Entity which used to restrain our passions and our irresponsibility. We have placed too much hope in political and social reforms, only to find out that we were being deprived of our most precious possession: our spiritual life. In the East, it is destroyed by the dealings and machinations of the ruling party. In the West, commercial interests tend to suffocate it. This is the real crisis. The split in the world is less terrible than the similarity of the disease plaguing its main sections.

If humanism were right in declaring that man is born to be happy, he would not be born to die. Since his body is doomed to die, his task on earth evidently must be of a more spiritual nature. It cannot unrestrained enjoyment of everyday life. It cannot be the search for the best ways to obtain material goods and then cheerfully get the most out of them. It has to be the fulfillment of a permanent, earnest duty so that one's life journey may become an experience of moral growth, so that one may leave life a better human being than one started it. It is imperative to review the table of widespread human values. Its present incorrectness is astounding. It is not possible that assessment of the President's performance be reduced to the question of how much money one makes or of unlimited availability of gasoline. Only voluntary, inspired self-restraint can raise man above the world stream of materialism.

It would be retrogression to attach oneself today to the ossified formulas of the Enlightenment. Social dogmatism leaves us completely helpless in front of the trials of our times.

Even if we are spared destruction by war, our lives will have to change if we want to save life from self-destruction. We cannot avoid revising the fundamental definitions of human life and human society. Is it true that man is above everything? Is there no Superior Spirit above him? Is it right that man's life and society's activities have to be determined by material expansion in the first place? Is it permissible to promote such expansion to the detriment of our spiritual integrity?

If the world has not come to its end, it has approached a major turn in history, equal in importance to the turn from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. It will exact from us a spiritual upsurge, we shall have to rise to a new height of vision, to a new level of life where our physical nature will not be cursed as in the Middle Ages, but, even more importantly, our spiritual being will not be trampled upon as in the Modern era.

This ascension will be similar to climbing onto the next anthropologic stage. No one on earth has any other way left but -- upward."

Goodbye Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Alexander Solzhenitsyn died today. God be praised for the life and work of this man. Peace be with you.