Thursday, May 31, 2012

Thursday Thinking - The Silly Season

Yesterday, on the MinnPost website, Myles Spicer posted an op-ed piece with some timely criticisms and constructive suggestions about American presidential campaigns.

If you're interested enough to read it, I hope you will post a comment to let me know what you think. Where do you think Spicer gets it right, and where do you think he gets it wrong?

An Excerpt from Spicer's Op-Ed Piece:
The “silly season” is now upon us, and the American electorate will have to endure months of that deadly quadrennial activity we call: presidential elections! Our presidential elections have degenerated into an obscene morass of money, personal attacks and negativism. No wonder the public has so little regard for government.

Worse yet, the trend seems to be a further decline each election cycle, and amelioration or improvement is nowhere in sight. The reasons are many, but they are worth examining if positive change is to be made.

Read the Complete Article

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Wednesday Words - Love in a Time of Conflict

For this week's Wednesday Words, I've chosen a blessing by John O'Donohue written for those who are in need of restoration and healing during a time of strife and pain. As a pastor, I'm all too familiar with the many ways hurt, disagreement, resentment, and bitterness destroy relationships. If you and someone you love are in a time of conflict, I pray that the grace and agape-love of Christ will fill and guide you.

For Love in a Time of Conflict

When the gentleness between you hardens
And you fall out of your belonging with each other,
May the depths you have reached hold you still.

When no true word can be said, or heard,
And you mirror each other in the script of hurt,
When even the silence has become raw and torn,
May you hear again an echo of your first music.

When the weave of affection starts to unravel
And anger begins to sear the ground between you,
Before this weather of grief invites
The black seed of bitterness to find root,
May you souls come to kiss.

Now is the time for one of you to be gracious,
To allow a kindness beyond thought and hurt,
Reach out with sure hands
To take the chalice of your love,
And carry it carefully through this echoless waste
Until this winter pilgrimage leads you
Toward the gateway to spring.

"For Love in a Time of Conflict" by John O’Donohue 
from To Bless the Space Between Us, (Doubleday) © 2008.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tuesday Tome - Living with Jesus Today

Over the Memorial Day weekend, I finished reading Present Perfect, by Greg Boyd. This is the selection for a three-part book club I'm leading that begins tonight.

While reading Present Perfect, there were many times I was reminded of another book I read about twenty-five years ago.  The book, Living with Jesus Today, by Juan Carlos Ortiz, was very formative in my early Christian walk as an adult.

I first heard about the book at a conference where I had the opportunity to hear Ortiz preach a couple of times. His energy and passion and humor made me eager to read his book. Ortiz' writing style is very down to earth and has a tone and pace you might expect from a Pentecostal pastor from Argentina. Ortiz will always have a special place in my heart because he is the first preacher that ever really stirred my imagination and heart to consider how I could become more aware of God's presence and work in my life as an ordinary part of daily life.
Here is a brief excerpt from Living with Jesus Today:
Christ did not come to bring us a religion, but life. He came to be in a relationship with us. Jesus is a person, and I happen to have that person within me. He came, and He stays here. He said, "If you open to me I will come, and My Father with Me, and we will abide in you." There is nothing that we need to be more clear on than this. It is vital that we are not messed up on this point. We are the building of God and He is within us. Wherever we are, Christ is. If we are confused on this, we will never grow. (Living with Jesus, p. 52).
The book is no longer in print, but you may be able to find it from a used book seller.

I found a free PDF version online. If you'd like to have a copy of the pdf, just let me know and I'll send it to you. Just use the Contact Me link in the right column.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Monday Music - Hoffman Guitars

I enjoyed this recent Minnesota Original story featuring Charlie Hoffman and his guitars. He does such beautiful work! Here's your chance to get a behind-the-scenes view of how these beautiful guitars are made.


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sunday Supplication - Pentecost Sunday

O God, on this Pentecost Sunday, we thank you for the light and presence of your Holy Spirit. We ask that by the power and grace of your Holy Spirit you would lead us, teach us, and transform us so that we might delight in your Word, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name.

We confess our sin and ask you to forgive us.  And beyond forgiveness, we ask that you would change us and strengthen us that we might overcome temptation and escape the sins that entangle and diminish us. We also ask for the grace and generosity to forgive others, even as you have forgiven us.

O God, help us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And help us to love our neighbors  as ourselves. Help us to follow Christ's selfless example, watching for the needs of others, and doing what we can to meet those needs. Help us to use every good gift you have given us to bless and encourage others.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Saturday Smile - Writing Country Songs

This is beautiful, hilarious, jaded, and brilliant! Thank you, Andy Gullahorn, for showing us how it's done. My favorite line in the lyric? "Prepare to modulate!"



Click Here for more Andy Gullahorn goodness.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Friday Family - Tyler Down Under

My son, Tyler, is back on the road for a few weeks of concerts in Australia with Missy Higgins. Wish I could be there to see one of them. Missy is super talented and I love her singing voice. I think Ty will be a good fit for her music and I'm sure he'll bring a lot of guitar goodness to her shows.


Thursday, May 24, 2012

Thursday Thinking - Bauerlein's Failed Atheism

An article by Dr. Mark Bauerlein entitled, "My Failed Atheism," appeared in the May 2012 issue of First Things magazine. Bauerlein is professor of English at Emory University and author of the book, The Dumbest Generation. It's worth reading, especially if you are interested in the intersection (or lack thereof) between academia and faith.

Here is an excerpt from that article:
I understood my atheism as an achievement, but it didn’t inspire any further achievements. My only creative impetus was to dramatize my own condition, my only critical one to despiritualize everyone else’s. I didn’t deny the good, the true, or the beautiful, but I certainly denied any supernatural grounds for them. All my strength went into demystification, and once those ideals became secular norms, they didn’t excite me. I’d lost God, and whatever his replacement might be (helping others, making money) left me cold.

I found a career in academia, one that tallied my loss of faith and love of great books in workable ways. Never did I feel out of place in my unbelief, and so, as the semesters passed, the roguish aspect of my atheism diminished. No more shock over the fact of mortality and no more self-promotion into an elite band of thinkers and seers, just an occasional shiver when alone and undistracted, plus a routine conviction that I was more educated and clear-sighted than ordinary people.

While I never regarded religion as evil or sought to disabuse the faithful, any pressure I felt from Christian quarters might easily spark a contemptuous response. I might admire the conviction of the believer and the good deeds of the church, and crisis-of-faith stories still had their appeal, but faith lay on the other side of a mental wall. I didn’t sense the existence of God, and so I couldn’t understand the motive for religious expression as anything but ideological or subjective. I could understand, however feebly, what it was like to be rich or black or a father or a little kid, but I could sit in church for a whole year and not “get” the experience of the people sitting beside me one bit. I couldn’t reify God or contemplate God, not even from a skeptical distance. God was just a token abstraction.

Read the Complete Article Here

NOTE: I was just informed by a reader that First Things is requiring a subscription to read the entire article. That wasn't apparent to me because I have a subscription and so the pay wall didn't kick in for me when I clicked on the link. SO...  If you'd like to read the article, just send me an email message and I'll send a PDF to you.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Wednesday Words - Darkly Wise, Rudely Great

This week three-hundred-twenty-four years ago the poet, Alexander Pope, was born. He was an amazing person who lived in an incredible time. Pope's poetry is so well-crafted that reading it is a little like listening to Bach's music (from the same period of European history).

I just downloaded a free Kindle edition of his Essay on Man. I'm looking forward to mulling it over in the days ahead. Here are a couple excerpts that drew me in.

 
EXCERPTS FROM "AN ESSAY ON MAN"

From Epistle I:
ALL are but parts of one stupendous whole,
Whose body Nature is, and God the soul;
That, changed through all, and yet in all the same,
Great in the earth, as in th' ethereal frame,
Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,
Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees,
Lives through all life, extends through all extent,
Spreads undivided, operates unspent:
Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part;
As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart;
As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns
As the rapt Seraphim, that sings and burns:
To him no high, no low, no great, no small—
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all....
All nature is but art, unknown to thee:
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see:
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good.

From Epistle II:
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan
The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A Being darkly wise, and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast;
In doubt his mind or body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much;
Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself, abus'd or disabus'd;
Created half to rise and half to fall;
Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all,
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd;
The glory, jest and riddle of the world.

Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides,
Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;
Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,
Correct old time, and regulate the sun;
Go, soar with Plato to th’ empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect, and first fair;
Or tread the mazy round his followers trod,
And quitting sense call imitating God;
As Eastern priests in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule—
Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!
 
From "An Essay on Man" by Alexander Pope. Public domain.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tuesday Tome - Last Push for Present Perfect

This is my final invitation asking you join me in the upcoming Book Club that I will be leading. We'll be reading and discussing Greg Boyd's new book, Present Perfect. I've included the publisher's book description below.

Let me know if you plan to participate. Mark your calendar for all three session dates. Please feel free to participate even if you are not able to make it to all three sessions.

May 29 - Chapters 1 and 2
June 12 - Chapters 3, 4, 5
June 26 - Chapters 6, 7, Appendices

If you have any questions, please contact me.
You can order your copy at Amazon. It is available in both print and Kindle editions. Copies will also be available at the Valley resource center.

Book Description:
A 'Holy Habit' That Will Change Your Life!

Experience true spiritual transformation: invite God's presence into your life! Popular author, theologian, and pastor Gregory Boyd shows you how---simply, practically, and effectively---in this thoughtful and accessible book. Discover:  how to pray continually; What it means to 'take every thought captive;' how to wake up to God's ever-present love.
God is closer to you than the air you breathe. He is present in every given moment. Wake up to his presence! Turn off the mental chatter that keeps you from seeing his glory. Embrace the holy habit of inviting God's presence into your life, and be transformed! Wake Up to God's Presence!

We long to be transformed. Yet our minds are filled with endless trivia and self-centered chatter. To-do lists. Worries about the past. Speculation about the future. We forget to live in the present moment ... and to invite God to be with us there.

After reading classic contemplative authors Brother Lawrence, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, and Frank Laubach, theologian and pastor Gregory Boyd longed to experience the presence of God for himself. For two decades, he's attempted to implement the 'practice of the presence of God' in his own life ... sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. What he's learned as a fellow pilgrim on his spiritual journey can help you find true spiritual transformation as you begin to practice the discipline of inviting God into every moment.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Monday Music - Art-a-Whirl

May 18-20 was the Northeast Minneapolis Art Association's Art-a-Whirl Weekend. There's always plenty to see and do. On Saturday, Cheri and I were able to catch our favorite local band, The Cactus Blossoms, performing on the patio behind the Matchbox Coffee Shop in NE Minneapolis.



Sunday, May 20, 2012

Sunday Supplication - Grace and Purpose

O God, we give you thanks for our Lord and Savior Jesus, your only Son, who you have exalted and given a name above all names. Help us to walk in his ways, to honor him as Lord, and to live in the grace and purpose of his Kingdom. Strengthen and comfort us by your Holy Spirit, and teach us to walk in your ways to the glory of your name.

We confess our sins and we thank you for your faithfulness to forgive us and purify us. And as your grateful children, teach us and help us to be faithful to forgive others. May the resurrection power and grace of Jesus help us restore relationships, heal wounds, calm fears, forgive offenses, and resolve strife.

O God, show us your ways. Teach us your paths. Guide us in your truth. Give us the humility and wisdom to live for you and to follow you. Help us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Saturday Smile - Singing Cosmology

N. T. Wright is a well-known theologian whose books and sermons and lectures have meant a great deal to me. He is a brilliant academic, a prolific writer, a gifted teacher, and a caring pastor. Now we have to add singer/songwriter to the list. I have to smile and applaud the sight of him sing parodies them while strumming a guitar.

N. T. Wright, the scholar, and Francis Collins, the scientist, will never rise to the songwriting prowess of Lennon and McCartney, but it's nice to see they've actually heard of them.


Friday, May 18, 2012

Friday Family - 2012 Camping Plans



Today I'm thinking about the North Shore. I'll be heading up there a couple of times this summer. The first one will be a July camping trip Cheri and I are taking with my oldest son, Tyler, and his wife, Ali, and their three sons. I'm getting a tent and our pop-up camper cleaned up and ready to go. I'm also making reservations at Lamb's Resort, our favorite North Shore campground.

Cheri on the Shore Near Tofte

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Thursday Thinking - Caring Theology

When Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest command?" He replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." He went on to say, "The second is like the first--love your neighbor as yourself, for this is the sum of the Law and the Prophets."

I've always found that last phrase--"the sum of the Law and the Prophets"--to be every bit as important as the commands to love God and to love others. That phrase makes clear that any truly orthodox understanding of what God commands--what is wrong or right or true or false--must be rooted in love for God and love for others. Any doctrine that fails to care is a doctrine that fails.

Richard Beck, Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at Abilene Christian University, is one of my favorite bloggers. Yesterday, on his Experimental Theology blog, he posted some very helpful insights about the relationship between reason and emotion. By extension, he explains how the reason/emotion discussion is relevant to our understanding of the relationship between theology and caring. His observations are totally consistent with my personal life experiences and with what I've witnessed in my 30+ years of pastoral ministry.

To summarize, Beck asserts that theology detached from feeling is bound to be bad theology. I highly recommend his blog and encourage you to read this post, Orthodox Alexithymia.

Here is an excerpt from that post:
When theology and doctrine become separated from emotion we end up with something dysfunctional and even monstrous. A theology or doctrinal system that has become decoupled from emotion is going to look emotionally stunted and even inhuman.

What I'm describing here might be captured by the tag "orthodox alexithymia." By "orthodox" I mean the intellectual pursuit of right belief. And by "alexithymia" I mean someone who is, theologically speaking, emotionally and socially deaf and dumb. Even theologically sociopathic.

(Alexithymia--etymologically "without words for emotions"--is a symptom characteristic of individuals who have difficulty understanding their own and others' emotions. You can think of alexithymia as being the opposite of what is called emotional intelligence.)

Orthodox alexithymia is produced when the intellectual facets of Christian theology, in the pursuit of correct and right belief, become decoupled from emotion, empathy, and fellow-feeling. Orthodox alexithymics are like patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex brain damage. Their reasoning may be sophisticated and internally consistent but it is disconnected from human emotion. And without Christ-shaped caring to guide the chain of calculation we wind up with the theological equivalent of preferring to scratch a doctrinal finger over preventing destruction of the whole world. Logically and doctrinally such preferences can be justified. They are not "contrary to reason." But they are inhuman and monstrous. Emotion, not reason, is what has gone missing.

CLICK HERE to Read the Complete Post.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Wednesday Words - Marriage Blessing

Wedding season is upon us! This summer I'll be officiating at five weddings.

During the recent months of spring I have been doing premarital counseling with four couples. The first of their weddings is coming up this weekend, so I thought it would be appropriate to post this blessing from John O'Donohue's book of blessings, To Bless the Space Between Us.


For Marriage
As spring unfolds the dream of the earth,
May you bring each other’s hearts to birth.

As the ocean finds calm in view of land,
May you love the gaze of each other’s mind.

As the wind arises free and wild,
May nothing negative control your lives.

As kindly as moonlight might search the dark,
So gentle may you be when light grows scarce.

As surprised as the silence that music opens,
May your words for each other be touched with reverence.

As warmly as the air draws in the light,
May you welcome eah other’s every gift.

As elegant as dream absorbing the night,
May sleep find you clear of anger and hurt.

As twilight harvests all the day’s color,
May love bring you home to each other.

“For Marriage” by John O’Donohue in To Bless the Space Between Us,
(Doubleday) © 2008.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tuesday Tome - Present Perfect

I'd like to invite you to join me in an upcoming Book Club that I will be leading. We'll be reading and discussing Greg Boyd's new book, Present Perfect. I've included the publisher's book description below.

Let me know if you plan to participate. Mark your calendar for all three session dates. Please feel free to participate even if you are not able to make it to all three sessions.

May 29 - Chapters 1 and 2
June 12 - Chapters 3, 4, 5
June 26 - Chapters 6, 7, Appendices
If you have any questions, please contact me.
You can order your copy at Amazon. It is available in both print and Kindle editions. Copies will also be available at the Valley resource center.

Book Description:
A 'Holy Habit' That Will Change Your Life!

Experience true spiritual transformation: invite God's presence into your life! Popular author, theologian, and pastor Gregory Boyd shows you how---simply, practically, and effectively---in this thoughtful and accessible book. Discover:  how to pray continually; What it means to 'take every thought captive;' how to wake up to God's ever-present love.
God is closer to you than the air you breathe. He is present in every given moment. Wake up to his presence! Turn off the mental chatter that keeps you from seeing his glory. Embrace the holy habit of inviting God's presence into your life, and be transformed! Wake Up to God's Presence!

We long to be transformed. Yet our minds are filled with endless trivia and self-centered chatter. To-do lists. Worries about the past. Speculation about the future. We forget to live in the present moment ... and to invite God to be with us there.

After reading classic contemplative authors Brother Lawrence, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, and Frank Laubach, theologian and pastor Gregory Boyd longed to experience the presence of God for himself. For two decades, he's attempted to implement the 'practice of the presence of God' in his own life ... sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. What he's learned as a fellow pilgrim on his spiritual journey can help you find true spiritual transformation as you begin to practice the discipline of inviting God into every moment.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Monday Music - Radio Lab

I'm a big fan of the Radio Lab podcast. Their programs are extremely well-crafted and cover a delectably eclectic variety of topics and stories. Recently, they posted an interesting short about the facts and fictions in the story of blues legend, Robert Johnson.

Give it a listen and check out other Radio Lab episodes.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sunday Supplication - Goodness and Guidance

O God, we thank you for your love.

Because you have given us your Son, we trust that your goodness toward us is greater than we are able to comprehend.

We ask you to help us love you above all else. Help us to love you in all things and in every circumstance. We trust you to keep your promises and we ask you to shape our desires.

Forgive us our sins. Help us to turn away from what is wrong and teach us to do what is right. Make us willing and able to forgive others as you have forgiven us.

Help us to think, speak, and act in ways that restore lives, nurture relationships, create peace, and bring honor to you. O God, help us to trust in you with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. In all our ways—in every aspect of our lives—teach us to acknowledge you.

Direct our paths and make our ways straight. Cause our faith to grow stronger and help us to enjoy lives that are filled with contentment, purpose, and hope.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Friday Family - Minnesota Originals

By now, most Altered Faces readers know that my sons, Page and Jack Torrey, have a band called The Cactus Blossoms. Last Sunday night (May 6) they were featured on the tpt2 (Twin Cities Public Television) program, MN Original.

Here are the two performances from that show.



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Thursday Thinking - Are You a Leader?

In recent months, I've been enjoying Michael Hyatt's blog and podcasts. Several weeks ago, on his Intentional Leadership Blog, he posted a list of leadership indicators. If these indicators describe you, it's likely you are already filling leadership roles at work, at church, and in your community. If not, you should be.

Maybe you are filling leadership roles, but don't feel like a leader. Or maybe leadership is something to which you aspire. In any case, it's important to remember that leadership qualities are more than the result of innate ability or natural giftedness. Personal ability and predisposition are extremely helpful, but we should never forget that leadership skills and attitudes can also be learned and cultivated. Every leader has strengths and weaknesses, so every leader has room to grow and learn.

Whether you are an aspiring leader, a seasoned leader, or even a reluctant leader, this list may be helpful to you as you consider ways to grow and become more effective. The list might also remind you of some of the things you're already pretty good at––reasons you should be leading.
1. You long to make a difference.

2 .You’re discontent and dissatisfied with the status quo.

3. You’re not waiting on a bigger staff or more resources to accomplish your vision.

4. Your dreams are so big they seem impossible.

5. You acknowledge what is but inevitably ask, “What could be?”

6. You realize that you don’t have to be in charge to have significant influence.

7. You refuse to blame others for your circumstances and take responsibility for finding solutions.

8. You foster unity by bringing people together and encouraging dialogue.

9. You are quick to say, “I messed up. Here’s what I am going to do to fix the problem I created.”

10. You value relationships more than tasks.

11. You walk your talk––not perfectly but sincerely and intentionally.
12. You are a learner. You read, listen to podcasts, attend conferences, and ask other leaders lots of questions.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Wednesday Words - Right Beside You

I Love You as a Friend

The day begins and it's time to rise;
It's a struggle just to open my eyes.
So many things I have to do;
I don't feel like I can make it.
But I remember I'm not alone;
There's a strength much greater than my own.
I look to you in that morning hour
And my spirit starts to praying--
That's when I hear you saying...

CHORUS:
Get a firm grip on my hand;
Tune your ears to hear my voice.
I can help you meet the challenge;
I can help you make each choice.
And when you face temptation
I will strengthen and defend.
We'll travel on together,
And when your day comes to an end
I'll still be right beside you.
I love you as a friend.

I'm out the door and on my way
Through the ups and downs and come-what-mays.
If somehow I lose sight of you,
Lord, remind me of your presence.
I need to set my heart and mind
Far above the noise of my earthly climb.
In valleys low, on mountains high,
Jesus, keep this child from falling;
It's good to hear you calling...

CHORUS

You are my hiding place;
You help me run the race.
Leading me with your hand,
Though I've got so far to go,
I know you love me where I am.

Lord, I know you sympathize;
You have seen this world through human eyes.
You felt the pressure; you've known the pain;
You were called a man of sorrows.
That's why I know you won't turn away
Even when I stumble or go astray.
You'll pick me up, help me start again.
As you lovingly renew me,
I hear you whisper to me...

CHORUS


I'll still be right beside you
Because I love you as a friend.

© Copyright 1992 by Dave Burkum.

If the message of this song resonates with you or sounds like something you would like to explore, I invite you to join me for an upcoming Book Club at Valley Christian Church where we will be reading and discussing Greg Boyd's book, Present Perfect.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Tuesday Tome - My Prayer Book

Have you ever used a daily prayer book? Off and on over the last year or two, I've been using a little Lutheran prayer book (My Prayer Book) I bought for a quarter at an estate sale across the street from my house.

A newer version of the book is still available. It contains morning and evening prayers for each day of the month, and prayers for Christian living, including preparation for worship; family situations; vocations; national affairs; times of illness; and table prayers

Some of the prayers in this book are better than others, but I find all of them to have a worthwhile thought or two that lead me to pray in ways I may not have otherwise considered. It's like having a friend alongside me as it stimulates new ideas and new directions for prayer.

From the Tuesday morning prayer of Week 1:
May I trust in Thy promises and ask no more than Thou hast promised. In prosperity keep my humble; in adversity keep me strong; and at all times give me a deep devotion to duty and confident trust in Thy mercy, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Monday, May 07, 2012

Monday Movie - Of Gods and Men

What does it mean to live out the Gospel in a world torn apart by hate and power struggle? What happens when the desire for self-protection and self-interest stands in direct opposition to the desire to incarnate God's grace, promise, and faithfulness? What if taking up your cross to follow Jesus literally means taking up your cross? How do people in Christian community challenge each other and support each other while being patient with each other as they struggle through these questions? The film, Of God's and Men, is a practical exploration and thoughtful meditation on all these questions and more.

I've been wanting to see Of God's and Men ever since I first heard about it. The Netflix DVD arrived almost two months ago, but I wanted to wait until I knew I had the time and energy to give it my full attention. A week ago, on Sunday night (4/29), I was able to do just that, and it was a beautiful experience. I have nothing but good things to say about it. The writing, the acting, the cinematography, the music, the message were all superb! I was captivated every minute, and moved to tears at several points.

If the questions posed above are meaningful to you, I'm sure you will find this film to be very worthy of your time. If you've seen the film and have anything to say about it, or would like to recommend another film that has been meaningful to you, please comment on this post.



From Wikipedia:
Of Gods and Men is a 2010 French drama film directed by Xavier Beauvois, starring Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale. Its original French language title is Des hommes et des dieux, which means "Of Men and of Gods" and refers to a verse from the Bible shown at the beginning of the film. It centers on the monastery of Tibhirine, where nine Trappist monks lived in harmony with the largely Muslim population of Algeria, until seven of them were kidnapped and assassinated in 1996 during the Algerian Civil War.

Largely a tale of a peaceful situation between local Christians and Muslims before becoming a lethal one due to external forces, the screenplay focuses on the preceding chain of events in decay of government, expansion of terrorism, and the monks' confrontation with both the terrorists and the government authorities that led up to their deaths. Principal photography took place at an abandoned monastery in Azrou, Morocco with careful attention to authenticity.

The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Grand Prix, the festival's second most prestigious award. It became a critical and commercial success in its domestic market, and won both the Lumière Award and César Award for Best Film.

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Sunday Supplication - One Another

Almighty God, we give you thanks for the everlasting life we find in you.

Help us to recognize your son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life. Make us able to follow his steps and to walk in his ways to the glory of your name.

Lead us away from temptation. Free us from selfishness and pride. Give us the honesty and humility to recognize our need for your grace and mercy. Forgive us our sins and make us ready to forgive others.

O God, you are faithful to your promises. Help us to remember your promises and cling to the hope we have in you. Surround us with Christian friends who can encourage us and push us toward righteousness. Help each of us to be a source of encouragement and prompting for one another.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Saturday Smile - Getting Old


But you can't get old if you throw your health out the window!

I'm not trying to stay young; I'm just trying to be healthy enough to get old. To do that, I'm trying to eat well (see Eat to Live) and to walk at least one mile at least six days a week.

Friday, May 04, 2012

Friday Friends - Valley Romania Team 2012

In just under two months, six of my friends from Valley Christian Church will be going to Romania to serve marginalized children. They will be working in cooperation with For God's Children International.

I'd like to encourage you to pray for them and give them some financial support. You can meet the team and read about their mission by visiting their webpage. You that means you can pray for them and the work they will be doing.

You can also give online. This trip opportunity came up pretty suddenly, so the time is short for their fundraising efforts, but you can help them out right now. The online giving link for their trip just got activated today. Any gift of any size will be greatly appreciated. Why not go online and be one of the first people to get the ball rolling! Thanks.


Valley Romania Team Website

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Thursday, May 03, 2012

Thursday Thinking - Evolving Ideas about Conversion

Here are the first couple of paragraphs from a helpful article by Gordon T. Smith published in the latest issue of Christianity Today.

 The New Conversion: Why We 'Become Christians' Differently Today
Evangelicals are undergoing a sea change understanding when it comes to this pivotal moment in the believer's life.
It is not an overstatement to say that evangelicals are experiencing a "sea change"—a paradigm shift—in their understanding of conversion and redemption, a shift that includes the way in which they think about the salvation of God, the nature and mission of the church, and the character of religious experience. Although there is no one word to capture where evangelicals are going in this regard, there is a word that captures what they are leaving behind: revivalism.

Revivalism is a religious movement heir to both the 17th-century Puritans and the renewal movements of the 18th century, but one that largely emerged in the 19th century. It was broadly institutionalized in the 20th century in the conservative denominations in North America as well as in parachurch and mission agencies that then in turn spread the movement within North America and globally. For evangelicals up until at least a generation ago, the language of conversion was the language of revivalism; it shaped and in many ways determined their approach to worship, evangelism, and spiritual formation.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

Books by Gordon T. Smith

Transforming Conversion: Rethinking the Language and Contours of Christian Initiation
Amazon Link





Beginning Well: Christian Conversion & Authentic Transformation
Amazon Link

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Wednesday Words - Last Night the Rain

Last Night the Rain
Spoke to Me

Last night
the rain
spoke to me
slowly, saying,
what joy
to come falling
out of the brisk cloud,
to be happy again
in a new way
on the earth!
That’s what it said
as it dropped,
smelling of iron,
and vanished
like a dream of the ocean
into the branches
and the grass below.
Then it was over.
The sky cleared.
I was standing
under a tree.
The tree was a tree
with happy leaves,
and I was myself,
and there were stars in the sky
that were also themselves
at the moment
at which moment
my right hand
was holding my left hand
which was holding the tree
which was filled with stars
and the soft rain –
imagine! imagine!
the long and wondrous journeys
still to be ours.

"Last Night the Rain Spoke to Me" by Mary Oliver, What Do We Know? (De Capo Press).
© Copyright 2002 by Mary Oliver.

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Tuesday Tomes - Fishing Books


I thought I was going to set a record with getting my boat out on Lake Johanna this year, but alas, cooler weather and a busy schedule have conspired together to keep me from getting on the water in April. I'm hoping this might be the week!

I enjoy fishing, but catching fish isn't my strongest motivation (and certainly not my most consistent reward) for going. I just like to get out into the quiet, to take in the beauty of nature, and maybe enjoy the company of a good friend or one of my sons or grandsons.

Books are also a wonderful way to slow down and a boat is a wonderful place to read. This summer, my fishing and reading experiences are going to overlap at least twice as my reading list includes: The Compleat Angler (by Izaak Walton) and A River Runs Through It (by Norman Maclean). Both books deal with life's big questions and the simple joys (virtues?) of angling. Maclean's River is set in early 20th century and centers around the life and values of a Presbyterian family in Montana. Walton's Angler, which has been in print for nearly 350 years, serves as a primer on the art of fishing and a pastoral meditation on friendship, life, and morality.

If you've read either of these books and have any comments, I would be glad to hear from you. I'd also be interested in hearing about any good fishing holes near the Twin Cities.