Review: "How God Became King" by NT Wright

Last spring I purchased NT Wright’s latest book and had the great aspirations of reading it and reviewing it in 2012. I was able to do the former in 2012, but barely. In fact, it was New Year’s Eve, sitting in the Morgantown Starbucks that I was able to pour through the latter two thirds of the book.  In some ways, the reading and review of this book typified 2012. There were goals that just got away from me and so these goals need to be carried into the new year.

That being said, at last, I have been able to sit down and write a brief review of Wright’s book. The book How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels is a highly accessible book for people who have committed their vocations to the teaching of the Bible as well as to those who have committed their lives to being ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.

The book is divided into four sections with the fourth being a response to understanding Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection as not only in terms of atonement for sin, but as the beginnings of God putting all things to right (including our own relationship with Him).

In the first section of the book, he deals with two extremes that currently exist with regard to the life and teachings of Jesus. One is to so fully focus on His divinity and His birth, death, and resurrection that one misses His life. The other is to so focus on His life, that one misses the meaning and significance of his birth, death, and resurrection. He also gives some proposals as to how this split has happened as well as the incomplete image both offer.

In the second section, Wright speaks of four areas of emphasis within the gospels as four speakers in a sound system that need to be brought into harmony. Two of the speakers are turned up really loud and play distortedly, and in many ways drown out the remaining two speakers. Wright proposes that what needs to happen for us to hear all of the fullness of the message of the gospels is that we need to adjust the balance and volume of these stories.

In the third section, he proposes what happens as the four speakers are properly balanced. A story emerges that is the story of Israel coming to it’s climax as well as the story of Israel’s God becoming king and making his presence with humanity. In this story, everything doesn’t quite look the way one would expect it to look, but part of the reason for this is the linkage with the establishment of God’s Kingdom through suffering, service, and taking up of one’s cross.

Wright further builds a case that in much of our modern readings of the Gospels, we have uncoupled the Kingdom of God from being anything of this world or having any place in this world, and as a result we miss some of the very real and tangible opportunities for learning not only from the life of Jesus, but also seeking to live life as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God in the here and now.

Unfortunately a review this brief simply does not do the book justice, so rather than try to write lots more, I will simply encourage you to purchase a copy and give it a read, along with Wright’s other writings.

And regardless of whether you read the book or not, I invite you to take a moment, and reflect on what life might look like in your neighborhood, in your job, and in this world, if God’s rule was reflected there? And what might it look like for you to be an ambassador of what it would look like?

Just a little food for thought for 2013.

U2 360º Tour in FedEx Field

The above photo was taken a few minutes before showtime last night for the U2 Concert in Washington DC. After putting in a full morning, Jamie and I began the drive from Morgantown to DC hoping we could beat rush hour traffic and get situated in a timely manner. She had to be at work at 7AM this morning, so thankfully she slept the entire way back!

As we arrived at the arena, we went for an exploratory walk where we found a taco bell and the metro where we would later meet a few friends who happened to be in DC including my friends Don Jorgenson and Jake Harriman. They were joining us for the concert, and it was a great opportunity to bless my buddy Jake, who has spent most of the last year in Kenya, with a cool birthday present.

While waiting near the metro, I met a ticket "broker" named Lucas who tought Jamie and myself a few of the tricks of the trade. It was pretty amazing to watch him work--he had a charismatic personality and his story (told between crowds exiting the metro) was definitely engaging. Perhaps something for another post . . .

Anyhoo, the concert itself was phenomenal. I think it was one of the most inspiring concert events I've been part of, and it definitely was a participatory event. From lights, sight, sound, and the personality of the band, this legendary band put on an epic show. Bono began the concert by telling us that we were going to take a trip into outer space together, and I believe that his claim lived up to expectation. The concert was an out of this world experience that were at times comical while other times sobering and even worshipful.

As the concert progressed, I found myself personally inspired, reflective, encouraged, empowered, and even somewhat changed by the experience. There was a magic in the arena, which, if it were somehow able to be tapped into beyond the night, might lead to radical positive change for this world.

A personal high point for me was when Bono sang a verse of Amazing Grace during the second encore. He started with this song, and then the band began to play Where The Streets Have No Name. (On a personal note, that song has had a powerful meaning and sentiment for me both during and after my two periods of extended solitude, silence, and prayer
in the Joshua Tree Desert.

On a different note, I found myself reflecting on the perseverance of Bono and the band. They've been making music together for nearly 30 years, and they've also been engaged in the fight to end extreme poverty for over 20 years. They've leveraged their position in the world of rock and roll to bring about change in the world of people who have never heard of U2. They've lived their faith out tenaciously and aggressively in a way that challenges and frustrates both skeptics and committed people of faith. There's something to be said for " . . . a long obedience in the same direction."

There are still a few shows left for this tour, so if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend checking out one of 'em. And the next time you listen to a U2 song on the radio, think about perseverance. Reflect on the idea of making a tangible change in this world. And take action to make this world a better place.

May you start today, and may you be a tangible taste of God's Kingdom come, and His will being done, on earth as it is in heaven . . .

The End of Christian America?

That image is of the oldest church in the city of Amsterdam. It's called Oude Kerk. Outside the church is a monument to a prostitute. There are still services at the church on sunday I believe, but not many attend. Actually the main function of the church is as a museum. For six dollars, you can walk through this large and beautiful old building and see some amazing architecture, stained glass windows, and murals on the ceiling.

The oldest church in Amsterdam is functionally a museum. To me it is hard to believe that the huge structure that was built in 1280 AD serves better as a link to history than as a gathering place for those who have been radically changed by faith in Jesus.

All around the church, there are sex shops, hash-marijuana bars, and most shockingly, windows.

These windows aren't just any kind of window. The windows are outlined in red lights. Behind the windows, prostitutes stand. Many of these prostitutes are trafficked to be in those windows, so instead of prostitutes a better understanding is that they are slaves. Just outside the doors of a church there is slavery and prostitution. There are drug addicts and dealers. In some ways it seems like a perfect location for a church. But in other ways, it seems very indicting that the church has very little influence in the community directly around it.

This week, Newsweek had an article called The End of Christian America. If you read the article, you'll find no mention of prostitution or slavery, you'll just see that the church in America has a steadily declining influence, as well as a steadily declining percentage of the population who claim any affiliation.

The reasons for the decline are many and the article doesn't really generate many in it's four pages but instead points to this being a good thing. Because I believe that Jesus, and His church are the hope of the entire world, I have to say that I disagree. The author points out that people aren't becoming less religious, because religious devotion of some type has always been a part of society--even if it is a religious devotion to atheism, or agnosicism, or our own personal Gods. And if the truth be told, there has never truly been a "Christian America" although some would like to think so. Regardless, the level of influence that the Christian faith is demonstrating in America is in a marked decline.

People aren't becoming less religious, but they are becoming more individualistic. I believe that part of the reason for the departure is that Christians seem to know a lot about God and love, but often times we fail to be tangible demonstrations of that love. This is what I believe to be the foremost indictment against many who call upon the name of Jesus in America.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to stem the tide, but it might require a change of lifestyle and habit for many. By stemming the tide, I don't mean the creation of a "Christian America" as much as I mean an America where Christians, wherever they are exert a transforming influence on their communities for the better. The transforming influence of Christianity always starts, ends, and is sustained by love. Yesterday, we celebrated Easter, and we saw that love can get you into a lot of trouble with the powers that be, but love is always the best way, and in the end it is victorious.

May you examine your own heart and life, and begin to ask for strength to make the changes in your life that need to happen so the Church can be a better sign of the Beautiful Kingdom of Jesus.

President Clinton Visits Morgantown

President Clinton Visits Morgantown, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

I've been on the road for the past few days, so I haven't been able to blog as much lately. Seems like there's been a lot to write about, but plenty of other stuff taking up my time. It's kind of difficult to write too because the ideas aren't always as fresh in one's mind, but anyway . . .

Last Thursday, the 42nd President of the United States, < href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html">William Jefferson Clinton, came to visit Morgantown and West Virginia University. He was traveling to campaign for his wife Hillary's bid for the Democratic nomination for President this year.

Initially, I was just going to stop by and snap a few photos, and be on my way, but I stuck around. (He was running late, and I had already waited an hour, so I thought, "what's a few more minutes?) As he stood before a crowd of students and community members, I could see that he was a very charismatic and sanguine individual. He won the crowd almost immediately by commenting on the quality of WVU football, and how much he enjoyed watching them play this year.

Part of the reason I wanted to stop by was simply the thought that it isn't often that one gets to listen directly to one of the most powerful leaders in contemporary history. The President of the United States is perhaps the most powerful leadership position on the planet. And I was standing about 100 feet from a former president--pretty wild stuff.

As he spoke, I couldn't help but analyze what he had to say. It wasn't the policies themselves that I was tuned into, it was the style of speaking he used. After all, anybody who is attempting to vote responsibly should probably take the time to read up on the issues, policies, and perspectives of all candidates beforehand. Seem's like every candidate for public office throughout history offers a similar case. First they remind individuals of how bad things are currently, and prognosticate an even worse future. Then they say that the way to rescue yourself from that terrible future is to take the action step of voting them (or their spouse or their candidate of choice) into office.

As I listened to the former President speak, I found myself thinking about the hope that every candidate attempts to offer, and how there is really only One who can offer us hope, security, prosperity, and peace.

I believe voting is an important privilege and responsibility for American citizens, and particularly for Christians. But as Christians, we can't just vote for a party, we have to examine all of the issues. We understand that there will never be a true savior on capital hill until Jesus comes back (as the Derek Webb song reminds us).

In this season, when so many are attempting to offer us a temporal peace and prosperity, let's take time to remember the One who offers true hope and peace to our whole world.

Dr. Sleeth's Top Three

Dr. Sleeth's Visit, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

So it's been over a week, and I haven't shared with anyone the top three dr. sleeth shared with us during the week of Another World Is Possible.

He was asked the top three things he thought people could do to be better stewards of God's creation. And here were his three responses.

1) Keep the Sabbath. He wasn't focusing in on a particular day; he was simply stating that as a culture we have forgotten how to rest. We are always going, going, going. In fact, he said it was one of his biggest personal challenges as he traveled from place to place speaking about the environment. He has been consistent to take a sabbath, but sometimes it is difficult to make it the same day each week. The key is to make sure you do it. I've blogged about it recently, you can read that blog entry here.

2) Cut consumption and waste production by 10% and give the money saved to Kingdom work. This could be as simple as turning off lights in your house when you aren't in a room. Or, maybe you could turn your thermostat down 2-3 degrees. It's kind of funny because many people want to run their thermostats at 70+ degrees in the winter, and for most of our human existence, we dwelt in homes that were significantly colder in the winter. Another thing you can do is eat out less, or buy locally grown food, or even share a meal with someone. Most of our restaurant portions are large enough for two people. As far as Kingdom work is concerned, there are a number of great organizations out there, and a few of them were part of our week of events at wvu.

3) Find a group of people to do these things with. Could you imagine what the effect would be if you and your small group, or some folks in your church began to cut back and observe a sabbath. Imagine how it would affect your interactions with one another. Imagine what you could do if 10 people cut their consumption by 10%. Just look at my group on the one billion bulbs website. Only 18 people have signed in as my friends and we have saved over $2000 simply by switching our bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs. You should consider switching and joining.

I think Dr. Sleeth's top three ideas are wonderful for a number of reasons. 1) They are doable. There isn't a single person I know who couldn't observe the sabbath, cut their consumption habits, and even find people to do that with. 2) They are able to be adapted by area. People in FL typically don't need to worry about cutting a gas bill for instance, but folks in WV do. People in FL, could cut down electrical use though. 3) He emphasizes community. We aren't meant to be alone in our endeavors, and it is helpful to be encouraged along the way by entering into a practice with others.

Will you make a commitment to these ecological three? Take the time to leave a comment and share what you are doing to work toward better environmental stewardship--maybe your idea can spark others.

Desperate Sex Lives Q and A

Last night we finished our most recent series at h2o with a question and answer session. People could email, text, write down, or just stand up and ask questions regarding any of the subjects we covered over the last few weeks. This could be a pretty thorny predicament (hence the photo), but in the end it was really a unique and different experience for our community. (It was probably also among the shortest talks ever given at h2o!)

Folks asked some really great questions from "Is there such a thing as being TOO HONEST with regard to intentions for a relationship?" and "Where does one get the courage to MAN-UP and initiating a relationship?" to "Is it ok to call out someone of the opposite sex if they are leading you on and not committing?" and "Is it ok for men and women to sleep in the same bed?"

I really appreciated the honesty of the questions that were generated. I also appreciated the discussions that followed our event. It's had me thinking that perhaps this would be a good exercise in the future as well. While Q and A times can be more than a little unpredictable, they encourage greater participation and engagement from individuals, and help everyone in the room to really think about what is being discussed.

Our next series won't start until March 30th, and will involve three different speakers during the three weeks of the series, We will be discussing how Christians are perceived by those outside the faith, and what we need to do about it.

Ultimately, with any subject discussed our Bible is the ultimate source, and perhaps the Q and A time was encouraging for people to not only hear answers and thoughts on a subject, but also to hear the scripture application behind the answers. When you answer people's questions, do you answer with your best guess, or do you seek to bring in the full counsel of scripture to inform your insights?

As we yield ourselves more and more to the wisdom of a 5000 year old text, we find ourselves finding greater and greater stability in a world in which change seems to be the only constant. Thankfully, the scriptures can guide every aspect of our lives, even our sexuality. When we yield our lives to the story of God, we give people a little sign of the beauty of life found in abiding in Christ.

Dr. Sleeth's Visit

Dr. Sleeth's Visit, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Last week, I wrote a short statement encouraging folks to come out to hear Dr. Matthew Sleeth speak at WVU, but as yet, I haven't shared what he really talked about.

To me, it's kind of wild because I think that when most people think about someone speaking about the environment, they get a little uneasy. They think that a person who talks about the environment is going to be a radical nutjob, and a Christian who talks about the environment is going to be even nuttier than the rest.

Dr. Sleeth is perfectly sane, and his presentation was hilarious! He and his family have made some radical life adjustments as a result of their faith, but he wasn't shaking his finger at the audience or anything like that. He was simply sharing his story, and he shared a few of the ways that God led him and his family to make changes as a result of their understanding of biblical stewardship.

I would love to share many of the tidbits he shared, maybe at a future time, but for now I want to share with you the answer to one of the questions asked from the audience.

Someone asked, "What are the top three things we can do to care for the environment?" I've been asking that question of people for the last week just to hear their responses. Most people say something about recycling, or switching to CFLs, or buying alternative fuel vehicles.

What would you say? I would love to hear your top three. Instead of telling you Dr. Sleeth's answer straightaway, I am going to build a little suspense, and share his response sometime over the next few days. (maybe tomorrow?)

So in the meantime, let me know how you would respond to that question--what are the top three things you would recommend to be a better steward of God's creation?

Another World Is Possible

Last week, a group of us from our pool of college students and young professionals put together a series of events that we called Another World Is Possible. While it was an exhausting week, it was also refreshing. It was refreshing because there were so many cool conversations happening around town about it.

People who I had attempted to talk to for years about some of these issues became more open to the idea that 1) God is interested in things like the environment, poverty, slavery and injustice, 2) that He wants us to do something about it, and 3) that we actually can!

Now that the week is over, and and we have been able to raise some funds and some awareness about some of these issues, it is my prayer that more and more people will take action. Of course, any time people take action it can be messy. Things don't always go according to plan, but then that's where our faith gets expanded--it's during those times, right? "The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes His steps." Proverbs 16.9. I love that proverb--there's a few others like it that remind us that God weaves it all together, and that "He is sovereign," as my friend Trey so eloquently shared this past weekend.

This week, as you consider the grandness of God's world, and the great needs that exist out there, will you consider stepping up to the plate to help be a sign to this world that not only is another world possible, but it is on its way. One day, our King will return, and make all things right and new. Until that day, we get the privilege of living as a sign of what that day might be like.

Rather than just sitting around and waiting for that day, let's go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting and broken world. It may be as simple as changing out a few light bulbs to CFLs. (And if you do that, be sure to join my group "Friends of Chanchanchepon" on One Billion Bulbs it's free, and you get to see how much money, coal and greenhouse gases you prevent from being wasted.

There's lots we can all do, but I think the most important thing is to not just sit there. It's so easy to get caught up living for another Kingdom than the one of Jesus--step up and take a small step toward being an instrument of healing and reconciliation. Allowing Jesus to use you to reconcile people to Him and experience the healing of a broken relationship.

Desperate Sex Lives

This photo was "borrowed" from a sister church's website. Some of my friends down in blacksburg (yes, I do have friends in blacksburg) did a series last fall on dating and relationships (with the same title), and I thought it would be good to talk about the subject here in Morgantown.

So our current series at h2o is called Desperate Sex Lives, and over the last couple weeks we have been discussing what it means to be single, and how to set some criteria for dating in a godly way. Unfortunately our media, movies, and music have done a terrible job of presenting young and women with a healthy understanding of sexuality and relationships.

So last week, we talked specifically about guys taking the initiative with regard to pursuing a relationship. Many guys prefer to not say anything, and end up not taking care of other's hearts in the process. On the flip side, women can at times say they aren't interested in a guy verbally, while all of their non-verbals (quality time, proximity, etc.) send an entirely different message. Instead of continuing in non-committal and confusing relationships, we encouraged folks to express their intentions clearly and support what is verbally expressed in action.

And from what I've heard, the talk from last week has created quite a stir in our little faith community. People are really taking stock of their lives in this area of relationships, and I think it is a good thing. I think some folks are setting some standards in their lives that they may not have previously considered.

This week, we talked a little more about being intentional about our approach, and for guys to be willing to be vulnerable by declaring their interest.

In the words of the author Donald Miller, " I think if you like somebody, you have to tell them. It might be embarrassing to say it, but you will never regret stepping up. I know from personal experience, however, that you should not keep telling a girl that you like her after she tells you she isn’t into it. You should not keep riding your bike by her house either."

We also took it a step further and talked about the importance of fleeing sexual immorality and maintaining standards of purity when dating. Unfortunately not many people have these conversations it appears, and we leave tv and movies to teach us how to live and relate to each other.

Next week, we will be talking about the difference between love and lust, and ways young men and women can take proactive steps to overcome lust in their lives.

Seven Bands for Five Bucks

Last night, as the next event in our week of Another World Is Possibleweek, we hosted not just five bands for five bucks, but actually seven. It was a cold and snowy night in Morgantown, but those who were able to come out were able to hear a lot of quality music at a very reasonable price.

But great music wasn't the only thing going on last night. A handful of local non-profit organizations were featured in between sets during this great concert at the Metropolitan Theatre on High Street. That facility is amazing by the way! If you are looking for a cool venue in which to hold a concert, drama, or event, I think "the met" is just the place!

One of the coolest things about the evening was that the artists and non-profits were doing some conversing over the course of the evening too. People were asking each other they could help one another in their respective field. In particulare, one of my favorite bands of the evening, Kessler, and my friends John & Jake's organization Nuru International started talking about some possibilities of working together in the future. I recommend you check out their respective sites. Kessler is a band out of Dallas Texas, and they have just gotten started touring and were signed with Tooth & Nail Records. Their sound is rich, melodic, and passionate. Give em a listen at the link above. Nuru, is a new organization dedicated to helping the rural extreme poor lift themselves out of poverty , first in Africa, and then around the world. It's hard to believe in a land of plenty like the one in which we live, but over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. Nuru is trying to help people by walking alongside communities, one at a time, and sounding the trumpet to see people with resources and a passion for justice take steps to transform these communities into communities of hope.

I imagine I will blog about both Kessler and Nuru more extensively at a later date, but for now, I just wanted to share great news about another wonderful night/event flowing from our focused week on campus.

As one last side story, a couple of students I ran into as they were traveling home late last night, were totally stoked about the whole evening and the part they were able to play in it. I think that's another beautiful part of this whole week. So many people have contributed to the success of each night's event and to the success of the week as a whole.

What a wonderful opportunity to see the Creator of the universe at work in so many tangible ways. May you tangibly see how He is at work in your own life today, wherever you may be!

Invisible Children

Invisible Children Poster, originally uploaded by nl_photography.

I feel really behind in my blog posts. There has been so much happening in my life these last few days. I've felt very overwhelmed at times. Overwhelmed at the hurt, the suffering, and the brokenness that permeates and saturates this world we live in. The week of events that we have been doing on campus has been an intense time as we talk about things that I find my mind and heart thinking about often.

Last night's event, showing the film Invisible Children was no exception. We packed our little coffee house in downtown Morgantown, sozo, to the brim with people who came out just to see what the film was about. And then, we had a letter writing campaign to encourage our senators to support legislation to work toward ending a civil war in Uganda that has displaced over 800,000 people and led to a generation of children being abducted and forcibly enlisted into a militia group. The film itself is heartbreaking, but I think what is even more heartbreaking is knowing that the resources are available to bring healing and resolution to this twenty year conflict.

I realize that a truly lasting peace does not come without Christ, but when I think about the resources and we have available here, I just know we can do some very tangible things here to make a lasting difference there.

That's why I wrote a letter to our senators. Here it is.

It is my distinct privilege, as well as my personal responsibility to write you about an issue of which I have recently become aware. On February 20th, I attended an event at West Virginia University partially sponsored by my church, Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown. I watched a film called Invisible Children. The film tells the tragic story of a 20 year civil war in Northern Uganda. Over 800,000 people have been displaced because of this conflict, and many more have suffered. A large number of these people have been children--little Ugandan boys and girls who have been denied safety and the freedom to play and truly be children. These people need our help, and we have the resources.
Senator Byrd, I implore you, for the sake of these people who were made in the image of God and for the sake of our conscience in this land of freedom and plenty, support the legislation now in congress to grant $25 million to re-integrate those displaced by the war and allow them to return to their homes and begin the process of rebuilding their lives and their nation. Further, continue to support lasting peace in this region by voting for legislation for a signed peace agreement in Uganda.
Thank you for your time and service,
Billy Willams

It's the first time I've ever written a letter like this. I took time last night, and typed up letters on my computer. Honestly, I can get a bit cynical about letter writing and really feel like it doesn't make a difference. I usually don't voice this thought, I just keep it to myself and choose not to participate. But you know something, these gestures DO make a difference. Even if my letters don't get read by the senators themselves--I have a responsibility as a voter and as a citizen to use my citizenship for the welfare of the world around me.

I encourage you to write your senator as well. I wish I had more links to describe what is happening, but I don't. If you have an opportunity to see the film, take advantage of it. It will be shown in the Gluck Theater at WVU March 4, 2008.

You and I, we get the privilege of making a difference in this world. It happens with small gestures though. Gestures like letters. Or events on college campuses. Or talking to friends and family. Or spending time in the areas of hurt. Sometimes it happens with all of those. Prayerfully consider where God wants you to enter into making a difference in His world.

International Justice Mission

Last night, we hosted our second event of the week as part of our Another World is Possible week of events. A band called, The War played a concert at sozo, our downtown coffeehouse last night, and a portion of the revenue from ticket sales went to support an organization called International Justice Mission.

When I watched this video the first time (and the second time) I was moved to tears. Sometimes I think its easy to forget when we live in a privileged part of the world, with privileged opportunities, just how much hurting and suffering is out there. It's funny (in a sad sort of pathetic way), just how easily we can get bent out of shape when we get stuck in traffic, or we have to wait a little longer for our food in a restaurant when there is suffering beyond our imagination happening every day. Don't get me wrong, it is frustrating to have to wait, or to be stuck in traffic, but sometimes I think I lack a little perspective on just how truly blessed I really am.

A few years ago, one of my old roommates found out about International Justice Mission, and it was this organization that led to God clarifying his call to pursue a law degree and work for the cause of justice in God's world. When I see a video like this, or hear about an organization like IJM, while I become sad about the state of our world, I also become hopeful and excited.

Why am I so sad? It's not just because problems like injustice exist. It's not simply because there is suffering and slavery and hurt and brokenness all over this planet. It's because it is so easy to feel completely helpless to do anything about problems of such scale.

But then I become hopeful. I become hopeful because I know that one day, all of these wrongs will one day be put to right. There will truly be justice one day when the great King of Kings returns to wipe away every tear from our eye.

I also get excited. I get excited because I realize that I'm not completely helpless. It's in my own confession and realization of my own personal helplessness that God can use me to do something about the hurting and suffering in this world. He can use me to be a sign of the hope that I have that one day He's going to make everything right. He can use me to be His hands and His feet until the day that I go to be with Him or the day He returns.

And you know what else? He can use YOU too! Will you take the time to consider how God may want you to take action to bring His healing to this broken world? And one step beyond thinking about it . . .will you take action?

You really do have a part to play in God's unfolding story on this earth. Will you be the hero you've been called to be?

Serve God, Save the Planet

Usually, I start the week with a truncated overview of sunday night's h2o message. But today is different. This week kicks off our Another World Is Possible series of events. So, it might be a little while before you see a blog about last nights h2o (not too long though).

Right now I would just like to pass some information along to you about an event happening on campus tonight. Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth, a former student at WVU as well as a former chief of staff and director of ER at a major hospital will be coming to Morgantown tonight to speak at Eiesland Hall. Dr. Sleeth also wrote a book in recent months called Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action, and it's a book I highly recommend.

Dr. Sleeth's story is a very interesting one. During his years at the hospital, he noticed an exponential increase in environmentally related illnesses. Illnesses like cancer and asthma were on the rise. Actually he said before 1880, there had never been a documented case of asthma. Can you believe that? He also noticed that his lifestyle was very out of tune with good stewardship of God's creation. So one of the first things he did was downsize his home. He, his wife, and two kids moved into a house the size of their garage. Before people get too shocked and concerned, he jokes about it and says, "Have you ever seen a doctor's garage?"

It was his conviction that God wanted him to help with root cause of many of the higher incidence of environmentally related illnesses, and that precipitated a career change for him. And now he's coming to wvu. He'll be in Eiesland tonight at 8PM, and it would be great if you could make it to the event. If you can't make it to the event, take a minute and pray for the folks who are coming, that God will use this event to bring the healing message of the gospel and God's concern for all of creation into the world.

Christmas Reflections

Christmas Reflections, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday my dad and I took a hike around the lake at Mountwood Park near Parkersburg, WV. There is this little rock formation nestled away in the hills that surround the lake, and I think it makes a great place to sit, think, pray, and even get photos taken. This time I did less praying and thinking--it was nearly dark, and my dad and I were trying to make our way around the lake. It was a little different twist on the holiday. I think it was the first time I had ever been hiking on Christmas.

But this year's Christmas was different on a number of counts. This year we had our meal and our gift exchange at my sister and brother in law's house. This year, my sister cooked the meal. This year was the first year we spent Christmas without my mom.

I understand that it's tough going through the holidays without recently departed loved ones, but I don't think I ever fully realized how much my mom did to make Christmas so enjoyable for everybody else. Even last year, when she was recovering from a bout of chemotherapy, she cut homemade noodles, baked cookies, and cooked the Christmas meal in it's entirety. My mom was greatly missed yesterday by all of us.

But my sister was amazing. Often, I am called upon to pray for meals, etc. at these family gatherings, but this year I asked my sister to pray (as a Christmas gift to me). My sister is not very confident praying out loud or in public, but she should be. She uttered one of the most heartfelt, genuine, thoughtful and beautiful prayers I think I have ever heard. It was a great gift indeed.

I intentionally stayed away from the phone and computer for the day. I knew that the moment I picked up either of them, it would be hard not to do work on the holiday. It was kind of nice to be disengaged like that. I typically call a couple of close friends on Christmas, but this Christmas it was probably good just to be close with my dad and sister.

As we spent time together, it was comforting to know that my mom is with our savior, and it is comforting to know that on this particular day, as we mourn losses we know that we celebrate an even greater gain. One day, everything will be put to rights in the world. But for now, we will celebrate the fact that in the middle of the hurts and joys, there is a God who comes along side us and enters into all of it with us.

Merry CHristmas!

Christmas Nativity Scene

Christmas Nativity Scene, originally uploaded by krisdecurtis.

Well tomorrow people all over the world will exchange gifts and unwrap presents in a worldwide celebration.

The celebration will only be a shadow though of what it could be. I mean think about it, how difficult is it for one to even begin to fathom the magnitude of the event we are celebrating.

Approximately 2000 years ago, God's perfect plan unfolded in humility. In a cave somewhere in the middle east, a little baby was wrapped up in "swaddling clothes". Even at his birth, kings wanted to kill Him. This birth meant that God had entered our world. In the middle of all of the pain and suffering and hurt God arrived. In complete vulnerability, Immanuel entered our brokenness to bring healing and reconciliation.

This was the first triumphal entry (to be followed approximately 33 years later by a second significant entry that was moving toward the consummation of His mission.

As a result of this amazing arrival, we have been freed from our captivity and slavery to sin and have the opportunity to spread the word about how our fellow man and woman can be reconciled with God!!! What a great message!!! What a great Christmas gift!!!

Take some time as the day progresses and the rush slows down to meditate on the wonderful arrival of our marvelous Savior! Take some time to move beyond the presents to the presence. Jesus our Immanuel (God with us) entered our world and set us free--that's a celebration that deserves all of our heart mind soul and strength devoted to Him in loving worship!

The Ultimate Gift

The Ultimate Gift, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

As we wrapped up our semester at h2o, we took a look at several responses to the gospel.

In the stories of the Incarnation, we see a wide variety of responses to the birth of Jesus.
Herod and those in power, do everything within their power to see Jesus killed. The Magi come from a faraway land to worship the King, because several hundred years before, somebody told their people about the future birth of the messiah. The shepherds also journey to worship and celebrate his birth. The magi and the shepherds weren’t exactly considered the “in” crowd, but yet, these are the folks who come to worship the King of Kings. Mary and Joseph, respond with faith that is amazing, mary pondered in her heart the comments and the worship demonstrated by others toward her son. Joseph demonstrated radical faith when he trusted circumstances that defied all physical and biological laws—a virgin birth.

And then there’s us. What do we do with the birth of Jesus. I think the birth of Jesus presents us with some major challenges. I mean, everybody in the era of Jesus had a response to his birth—and there is so much this birth teaches us about God and about his kingdom and about our own hearts.


When we consider the Christmas holiday, it provides a great time to take stock of our life and who or what we are living for. Jesus is Lord at birth, and we each have a response to this simple truth. How we respond to Jesus says a lot about what we really believe about Him and what we believe about ourselves. You see, every day we have a choice—we can live for the glory of our own kingdoms or we can lay down all for Him.

If we are honest, much of our lives are spent building our own kingdoms with little consideration for His. We’ve become a world of exploiters—we exploit creation, and we exploit each other. When we live for our own kingdoms we bring conflict, abuse, addiction, shame, disorder, and confusion.

When it comes to Christmas presents, God gave us the ultimate gift—Himself. And he presents us each with an opportunity to consider. What could we give him in return? Those who were far away and those who were near brought the best of what they had.


Wise men and women who still seek Him will find Him. When you find Him, bring the best gift that you can—the gift of your heart!

Mafalda and Charlotte

Mafalda and Charlotte, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday, a group of friends and I took a trip to the Sundale Nursing Home in Morgantown to do some Christmas caroling. That's where I met Charlotte and Mafalda. Charlotte is on the left, and Mafalda is on the right with my friend Brittani. About 20 of us converged on the place and spent about an hour singing to residents of the facility. These two ladies were just so full of life during our visit, I had to get my picture with them. i told them it's not often I get to be photographed with a couple of beautiful ladies like them, and they (along with all of the other residents) were just thrilled with our visit!

It was a very emotional evening for me. My mom's last days on this earth were spent in a similar facility connected to a hospital. Some of the folks we sang for were like these two ladies, and some were not very responsive at all, but it was really clear that all of them really appreciated the visit and the music. When we asked if anybody had a favorite Christmas carol, we received the response--"All of Them!" So we sang a few songs in different rooms and in the hallways.

As we started singing the first time, I found tears welling in my eyes because I just thought about how these people seemed to be sequestered away from the rest of the world, and could easily be forgotten. I was supposed to be happy when I was singing these christmas carols, but I kept vacillating between joy and sadness. Joy in singing and sharing with these folks, and sadness thinking about these really special people being forgotten.

So today I'm writing and reflecting on the experience. Multiple people asked us to come back and visit again soon. It was hard saying that we didn't know how possible that would be. While I felt joy in sharing a little light on a dreary winter day, I think I left with sadness.

I thought about my mom a lot. I still miss her. I guess being in this place made me think that these men and women were somebody's moms and dads. I wonder if these people see their family often. I wonder what their days are usually like--mafalda and charlotte said it gets pretty boring and monotonous--I can only imagine.

I guess my heart gets overwhelmed when I think about the needs that this world has, and it makes me long for the day when Jesus will make all things right and all things new. So I guess sadness and joy are understandable responses to a night like yesterday.

Overall, it was an incredible experience, and a good reminder of the very real needs all around us every day to love others.

As Christmas approaches, think about how you might spread a little Christmas joy around your neighborhood. Charlotte asked if she could give me a hug, and when she tried she couldn't lift her arms, so I told her if it was ok I would hug her--I think she really appreciated that. So many lessons God was speaking to me last night, but I only have time for brevity here.

In the end, the question must be asked, how will you demonstrate the love of Christ to the world around you? The need is great, but our God is greater, and he has challenged each of us to be a light. May God enrich your life as you love Him and love others.

Do THEY Know it's Christmas? Give Life

DSCN0705, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It's been a little difficult getting back into the groove of blogging and catching up with multiple tiny projects and people who I haven't seen since before thanksgiving break. But I should be getting back in the groove now.

So we are continuing our series at h2o Do THEY Know It's Christmas? and this week's message is entitled Give Live.
You know I think that one of the biggest temptations in the Christmas season is to forget about those who live on the fringes—I mean the real fringes. I think we have this huge fear that we are going to miss out on something if we don’t have everything we desire. But we have sooo much more than we need, and I think there is a purpose in it all. I think that maybe Jesus gave us so many resources and so much wealth so we could actually use it to bless others.

Another option is that he really just wants to give us tons of nice stuff solely for ourselves, and he really doesn’t care about other people, but I strongly doubt that.

Jesus tells us in Luke 12,

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

God has given us the ultimate blessing by giving us access to the Kingdom. He tells us to sell our possessions—not because our possessions are bad, but because we can give to those who have REAL needs when we see our own excess, and we can demonstrate to others what life looks like in the Kingdom of King Jesus. If we took serious as Christians our charge to be ambassadors of the Kingdom, I bet we would make a major dent in poverty in our world.

Where are treasure is, there is our heart. Where are you looking to find your treasure? Ultimately, our treasure is Jesus, but it is so easy to believe our treasure is found somewhere else. In fact, marketing companies are spending billions to make you believe that your treasure and your life is made up of the abundance of your possessions, but it is simply not true.

I think deep down we don’t want to ignore those who have nothing, it’s just that we get duped into believing we are the ones who are deprived. It’s really easy to feel like we don’t have enough stuff, and fail to have a heart of gratitude. I mean, how much do we really need. How much could we give up for the sake of others if we took the time, or took advantage of the opportunities around us?

How much would we be willing to share? We take for granted so much stuff in our world. Sometimes I think we get our priorities all wrong at Christmas, and really all year round. Having nice stuff isn’t a bad thing—I hope that I am not coming across that way; it’s just that I think that we can spend so much time, effort, and energy on ourselves that we neglect some really great needs in our world.

As you consider Christmas this year, and as you consider your life in the years to come, will you consider ways in which you can show your love to your fellow man and remember “the least of these”? You alone may not be able to end hunger, but maybe God wants to use you to help take a step toward one more person not going hungry. You alone may not be able to bring clean drinking water to the world, but maybe some of your spare change can be given to help “one of the least of these” to get access to medicine that will prevent them from dying of dehydration from diarrhea or other ailments.
Maybe as a family, or as a small group of friends you can do something for people who you’ve never met. People who won’t be receiving the latest ipod, or something from the fall line at banana republic, but who simply want the technology that will allow them to afford medical attention for their family. . People who don’t have any use for a cd or a plasma screen tv, but who simply want to hear the sights and sounds of another day of life.. People who have no use for a gift card at the olive garden, but who simply want to have enough food for their family today.

Maybe this Christmas you can start a new tradition of caring and Give Life.

Cell Phone Woes

Red , originally uploaded by Ð×ßîŋά ♥.

Well, I have had a lot to blog about and I've had limited access to the technological world lately. My internet has been out at home which means that I have had to be more mobile in posting. Not that being mobile is out of the ordinary for me, but after about two weeks of being away, it's hard to squeeze time in for the practice of blogging when I am out and about--seems like I'm always running into people--which is always a good thing. (Although maybe I should watch where I'm going--guffaw!)

On top of the limited access to the web, I also lost my phone (actually I think it may have been stolen but I'm not sure by whom). It was a (PRODUCT) RED phone, so a portion of the cost of the phone went to the global fund to fight against aids, tuberculosis, and malaria--just trying to be an advocate!!!

So I've been scrambling around a bit trying to find someone with a phone I can use temporarily until I can get my phone (with nearly 1000 contacts--maybe yours was in it?) replaced.

If you called me earlier this week, I assure you I have been paying my phone bills--I turned off my phone so someone else wouldn't be able to make a bunch of calls on it.

One of my dear friends let me have her old phone so I am back on the grid.

The really weird thing about it all is that I realized how integral the cell phone and computer have become to working efficiently in our world. I was literally off the grid for about 24 hours. Being off the grid is great if it is intentional, but when it isn't it is frustrating.

How often do you use a cell phone or the internet? How much would it break the rhythm of your life to be unplugged (on a monday at that!!!)?

The cool thing is that our lives and our callings aren't dependent on technology--in the middle of it all, I have been able to respond to God in gratitude for the tools He has allowed me to have to connect with others, but these tools are NOTHING when compared to the GIVER of the gifts.

Do They Know It's Christmas? Part I Commercial Christmas

Last night we started a new series at h2o called Do They Know it’s Christmas that will take us to the end of the semester. This week in particular we looked at a story Jesus told about a man who had so much stuff he found himself needing to build bigger barns. Before Jesus tells the story, he warns people to guard themselves against covetousness and tells them that their life consists of more than the abundance of their possessions.

Essentially, he says the exact opposite of what modern marketing gurus would like us to believe. Many of us have heard the story multiple times, and yet, when we are succumbed to over 30,000 commercials a year (on average) not to mention countless billboards, neon signs, and newspaper ads, it is easy to drown out the voice that tells us we have more than enough.

In the words of Ron Sider in his book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, “The increasingly affluent standard of living is the god of the twenty-first century in Northa America, and the adman is its prophet.” His book doesn’t say that Christians are the problem, he just argues that affluence is not our god. But you know, if you were to look at the average American household, you might be tempted to think that our source of strength was found in the amount of stuff we could hoard. It is so easy to get caught up in “building bigger barns” or believing the lie that life does not consist in more than the abundance of our possessions. And so we go out and spend money like crazy to buy more stuff—last year Americans spent $455 billion during the holidays.

It’s not that buying things is bad either. Especially around Christmas time it is nice to celebrate the arrival of our Savior by exchanging gifts since God gave us the ultimate gift in Christ. But do we need to be so excessive in our spending? Sometimes I feel like we can get caught up in “building bigger barns” as the holidays arrive. I don’t want to seem trite or judgemental or even seem like I have it all together—because anybody who knows me well knows that I don’t. I still oooohhhh and aaaaaahhhhhh over every new release that apple makes.

But maybe, as we scurry about this holiday season, we can think about gifts and giving in a different vein. Last year, I made photo albums for my family and sort of wrote a little “book” for them. I think it might have been the best gift I had ever given. Instead of giving them more stuff, I gave them something that I took time and care and LOVE and placed them all into this unique gift.

My mom made me a quilt and a scarf just a couple of years before she died. While I won’t see my mom again until the day I go to be with Jesus, every time I see the things she has made, I am reminded of the intense love she has for me, and that she took the time to care for me many, many times over the years of my life. And to me, that’s the most meaningful gift of all.

Seems like it rings familiar of another story I read where someone else loved so much that He worked tirelessly to give us what we really needed in the greatest act of love history has ever known.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if our gifts echoed that this year.