results vs. fruit

We live in a performance-driven world where the main measure of success is results. In John Hayes' book Sub-merge (see previous post), he has a very good understanding of results. In ministry to the poor, you can't be too focused on performance. He rightly explains,


"God’s economy is indexed to obedience, not performance.” He goes on to clarify later in the book by saying, “performance focuses on results and is distracted into pressing for outcomes. Obedience focuses on God and bears fruit. Faith helps us distinguish the path of obedience from the drivenness of performance” (92, 190).


I find that refreshing when we are so often tempted to measure success by externals. Though results are flashy, God desires fruit.

More Transforming Culture

More on the vision of this Transforming Culture Symposium. I encourage you to check this out. Ie especially like the last paragraph. Below is from the transforming culture website.

“When TIME magazine compiled a list of the one hundred most significant people in twentieth-century art and entertainment there were only five who had shown any public signs of Christian faith.” - Steve Turner, journalist, poet, Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts
This symposium will bring together pastors, church leaders and artists to discuss the Church’s relation to the arts and to artists. We will focus our discussion on three areas:
1) art and the worship of the Church
2) artists and the community of the Church
3) art and the mission of the Church in the renewal culture

If you are interested in exploring the ways in which we can encourage a more theologically informed, biblically grounded, liturgically sensitive, artistically alive and missionally shrewd vision for the Church and the arts, then we welcome you join us April 1-3, 2008 for a lively and enriching conversation.

moved and shaken

Sub-merge: Living Deep in a Shallow World is a great read on ministry among the poor. This book is a practical guide for his ministry called innerCHANGE. They are "committed to expressing the kingdom of God in needy neighborhoods in both word and work, in holistic union.” He says, that his life and ministry focusues less on the movers and the shakers in this world and more on the moved and shaken (283). This book is one of the best that I have read on ministry among the margins. Ironically, in the margins of this book, he tells story after compelling story about ministry among the poor.

In a convicting section of the book, he gives the reader a very balanced approach to our responsiblity to the poor. He says, that everyone knows about poverty, but not that many of us know the poor. He is balanced, biblical, practical and concludes with an understanding that ministry among the poor is both discipline and devotion. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to take their ministry to the poor from mere community service to devotion to the Lord.

Transforming Culture

Our church is hosting this Transforming Culture Symposium in early April. I can't wait. I am thrilled that this subject is being addressed and that Eugene Peterson and others are coming to speak. You can check out more info and buy tickets online at www.transformingculture.org. Also, if you are interested in a good read on the subject, check out The Culturally Savvy Christian by Dick Staub.

Nativity Grace

Today we set up our Christmas decorations, tree and Mandy's little nativity set. I looked at the nativity set with fresh eyes as we are looking at these characters in the Gathering. When we look at a typical Nativity set, the people we see are the least likely people to be involved in a King's birth. Poor, dirty Shepherds; Pagan, Gentile Magi, a poor, young, unmarried pregnant girl from a dumpy small town, etc. And I was reminded of the abundance of Grace seen even in the birth narrative (not to mention Jesus' geneology). This was the birth of the King and the birth of a Kingdom with completely different values, priorities and expectations than the culture. Even in Jesus' birth we see the upside down and countercultural Kingdom that He came to establish. After the message, Jim Echels (our church's worship leader and the Gathering drummer) sent me the lyrics to "So Long, Moses" by Andrew Peterson. I thought they were beautiful.

"Will he be a king on a throne

Full of power with a sword in his fist

Prophet, tell us, will there be another king like this

Full of wisdom, full of strength

The hearts of the people are his

Prophet tell us, will there be another king like this

And Isaiah said:He'll bear no beauty or glory, rejected despised

A man of such sorrow, we'll cover our eyes

He'll take up our sickness, carry our tears

For His people, He will be pierced

He'll be crushed for our evils, our punishment feel

By His wounds, we will be healed, we will be healed"

Ringing in the New Year at 30,000 feet

On Monday we were asked to lead a mission team to East Asia. Within 48 hours Mandy and I are both going and we are very excited about the opportunity. We look forward to teach, counsel, help out the missionaries (our good friends there) and do whatever else the Lord would have us do. We will leave on December 31st and bring in 2008 while on the plane. It is a little bit of a whirlwind as we get prepared, figure out plans with Caroline and raise support. Pray for us and for the trip.