The Apostle Paul, a Tough Mudder?

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” – The Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 4:7

Some closing words from Paul in prison who assumes that the end of his ministry is near and is commissioning Timothy to carry on that ministry. Obviously Paul spent some time behind the desk writing a few papers that later became books of the Bible, at least seven of them and maybe a few others. While he has claim to some of today’s most influential writing, it would seem that much of his ministry didn’t happen behind a desk, and in fact for much of his writing he was in prison where he probably didn’t have a desk. Paul was stoned (yes, literally) to the point where people thought he was dead (Acts 14:19), beaten (22:1-21, and several other occasions), and bit by a poisonous snake and survived (28:3-6). Paul catalogs these and many other physical trials he has endured to share the gospel in 2 Corinthians 11:16-31 which also include 3 ship wrecks! He adds, “And besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.” He closes though by saying that this is not all to bring attention to himself, but rather to illustrate his weakness and to bless God who sends him and as we see thereafter, continues to send him and sustain him.

Since coming to seminary I’ve certainly experienced anxiety, but very few physical journeys to share the gospel that didn’t involve a car. My other taxation has been weight gain while I sit about and read and write for the majority of my time, and spend my free time playing board games, watching TV, or playing video games. The only muscle that’s really gotten a workout since I quit Pepsi and started seminary is my brain. In short, I’m a desk jockey. So while I have faith that God will help me to endure whatever he has set before me, if there’s going to be any degree of trial that Paul had gone through (even simply the amount of traveling he did, read about all his journeys here) I feel as though it’s time I started exercising the rest of this body I’ve been granted.

The idea for this all came about as I was up late one evening preparing a bottle of milk for our son Judah. I was looking on Facebook while I waited for the milk to warm up and noticed an add that my nephew had “liked” on the side bar called Tough Mudder (I guess all that advertising money for fb works). I thought I’d check it out and it turns out it’s a world wide traveling 5k obstacle course. Now I’ve never been much for the idea of running just because. I haven’t found a lot of joy in that, but an obstacle course,now that actually sounds fun! This Tough Mudder though… well, I think you get the idea from the name. It’s designed by the British special forces. There’s no snake biting or beating or stoning or assasins seeking you out, but it’s not for the timid. The cool thing about it though is that it’s designed so that you can’t take it on by yourself. People have to help one another get through it, whether as teams, or just random people helping one another. Take a look

Although there’s one in Somerset Wisconsin, not far from where I live at the moment, I’m sure I wasn’t going to be up for it this year. I do want to do it sometime though. My plan takes me back to 4H in middleschool were we were always having to make goals. So my long term goal is to do this Tough Mudder, hopefully in 2014 when we return to the Twin Cities after internship. What between now and then you say? Well, as I got interested in this Tough Mudder race I remembered a conversation with another friend about a smaller scale version that’s held here in the Twin Cities every year called Go Commando! (Apparently you have to come up with a clever name in order to have an obstacle course race still waiting on the 2012 date).

As I’m very out of shape I figured the first thing I’d work on is the running part. There’s not much hope if I can’t make it from one obstacle to the next so being able to run the 5k is the first step. I started a program this week that a friend recommended over a year ago called Couch Potato to 5k or C25K. I works you into it pretty slowly, but after nine weeks your supposed to be able to run a 5k (about 3 miles) in a reasonable amount of time. Once I’ve got that down I’ll look into the obstacles a bit more and start training for that.

In the mean time, as Paul suggested to Timothy to get some help (2 Tim. 4:11), I’ve enlisted the help of my friend who introduced me to Go Commando! and one of my older brothers while I wait from a word from the other brother. In the mean time if you who are reading this want to join in or share a word of support as I work towards a me physically more capable of sharing the Word of God I’d love to hear from you. More to follow here.

Caught Up In An Advent Dream

As I’ve mentioned before, music and my life are linked in many ways. Recently I was following the typical path home to my in-laws and when I got to a certain point in my road trip Caught in a Dream by Tesla started playing in my head. Usually the first time I hear a song that I like, whatever is going on in my life at the moment gets imprinted into my mind along with the song. The first time I heard this song I was going through a rough time and the kind of music that appealed to me wasn’t nearly as up-beat in tone as Caught In A Dream was. There was a certain degree of hope that I found in the lyrics that was otherwise absent then.

Upon my return from the in-laws I looked up the tune on Youtube and re-examined the lyrics. As we’re now in the advent season some of them rose to the surface as fitting for the context. The concept of the world being at peace is reminiscent of many of the traditional carols. Being “caught in a dream” gets at the here now and not yet aspect of the coming of God’s kingdom, realized in the birth of the savior. The more I hear about the dream, the wishing, the hoping becoming a reality in Christ birth, the more I’m caught up in it, a good kind of Christmas hype. “What cannot will be done!” God’s dream for us is realized in the coming of his son. God’s dream becomes ours, becomes our reality, bringing “heaven here on earth.” Crank up your speakers, check out the lyrics, share the love, let me know if you’re caught up in God’s dream for us too!

Now, if you can imagine this, the whole world sharing one big kiss
These are thoughts all through my brain, that I daydream everyday
That I’m alive and well, and right now, I’m alive, I’m feeling…well
It’s my life to live my way, so I’ll keep daydreaming away
And who knows, maybe someday, it will all come true
And I will get my way, and we will live as one

I’m caught up in a dream, I’m gonna wish for it all
No one’s gonna tell me how, no way, this is my dream now
I’m caught up in what seems simply impossible
I ain’t gonna change a thing, no way, it’s my dream

And what cannot will be done, for every living thing under the sun
Forget color, forget race, and just be one big happy face
Among this sea of people, live among God’s creatures, sharing love
That was sent down from above, here to share with one another
Father, brother, sister, mother, everybody sharing love, sharing love

I’m caught up in a dream, I’m gonna wish for it all
No one’s gonna tell me how, no way, this is my dream now
I’m caught up in what seems simply impossible
I ain’t gonna change a thing, no way, it’s my dream, this is my dream

What if…I close my eyes and everything will be alright
Here in my fantasy, living in harmony
Make my dream come alive

I’m caught up in a dream, I’m gonna wish for it all
No one’s gonna tell me how, no way, this is my dream now
I’m caught up in what seems simply impossible
I ain’t gonna change a thing, no way, it’s my dream
I’m caught up in a dream, I’m gonna wish for it all
No one’s gonna tell me how, no way, this is my dream now
I’m caught up in what seems simply impossible
I ain’t gonna change a thing, no way, it’s my dream

Now, if you can imagine this, the whole world sharing one big kiss
Take away the pain and hurt, make like heaven here on earth
Without reason to die, and given everlasting life for all

WAKE UP- by Mad Season: A Modern Day Prophetic Message On Addiction

Some of you might remember the super group from the 90’s Mad Season, featuring Lane Staley of Alice in Chains on vocals and members of Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees. They only made one album, but it’s a classic. I’m a fan of Lane’s voice, not always the lyrics of the songs he sings, but the man certainly had an awesome voice.

The song Wake Up, the first track on the album Above, is thought to be about Staley’s long time battle with addiction to heroin. Staley died of an overdose in 2002, but his work is still popular today in many streams of radio, particularly his songs with Alice in Chains.

I started making connections with this song during this summer while I was taking a course on prophets at Luther Seminary. As I mentioned earlier the song is thought to be about Staley’s addiction, warning himself about his 10 year love affair with heroine, begging God for peace, and describing addiction like a “slow suicide.” In an interview shortly before his death Staley said,

“I’m not using drugs to get high like many people think. I know I made a big mistake when I started using this shit. It’s a very difficult thing to explain. My liver is not functioning, and I’m throwing up all the time and shitting my pants. The pain is more than you can handle. It’s the worst pain in the world. Dope sick hurts the entire body.”

Many of us can relate to chemical addiction, and we are certainly all addicted to one thing or another that is physically and/or spiritually damaging to the whole body: food, attention, perfection, etc. Rob Zombie (another rock artist) once said in an interview that TV was his “drug of choice.” I had never thought of it as a drug before, but I’m no stranger to TV’s addicting quality and my body certainly shows signs of it as of late. Addiction can indeed be like a, “slow suicide.”

Wake Up might be about Staley’s addiction, but to me the song also serves as a modern-day message not unlike the prophets of the Bible. “Wake up! your love affair has got to go!”,  “This is an infection, not a phase!” We need to do something about the addictions in our life, it’s not going to just take care of itself. It’s not going to just pass, more than likely it’s going to “spread” to other kinds of infection/addiction. The only hope we have for overcoming our addictions, no matter what their nature, is to “plead and beg God for peace.” The only kind of peace that can replace the hunger of our addictions is God. We need to keep those who know God around us to keep us focused on a relationship with him that provides us with what we need and keeps us from getting distracted by other things we think can fill the God shaped hole in our lives. we need good neighbors to regularly remind us to WAKE UP! be honest about your addictions and turn to God who can give you peace. Rest in peace Layne, God claimed you long before your addiction ever did.

Lyrics:

Wake up young man, it’s time to wake up
Your love affair has got to go
For 10 long years, for 10 long years
The leaves to rake up
Slow suicide’s no way to go, oh
Blue, clouded grey
You’re not a crack up
Dizzy and weakened by the haze
Moving onward
So an infection not a phase
Yeah, oh

The cracks and lines from where you gave up
They make an easy man to read, oh
For all the times you let them bleed you
For little peace from God you plead, and beg
For little peace from God you plead
Ahhaahh, Yeah, Ahhaahh, Yeah, Ahhaahh, Yeah

Wake up young man, wake up, wake up
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Oh, yeah

Wake up young man, it’s time to wake up
Your love affair has got to go, yeah
For 10 long years, for 10 long years,
The leaves to rake up
Slow suicide’s no way to go, oh
Slow suicide’s no way to go
Wake up, wake up, wake up
Wake up, wake up, wake up

The Refiner’s Fire: Check your guests at the door

There are many references to a refiner’s fire in the Bible, a metaphor about a means of making things pure by burning away the impure. It’s a concept that has often been connected with being baptized in fire by the Holy Spirit. I’m using that image as a title for a new section of my blog called The Refiner’s Fire.

Some time ago my pastor gave a sermon about being aware of what you let into your home. “Check your guests at the door!” she said. Part of her message focused on the movies and music that we bring into our lives and our homes. The concept has lingered in my mind for some time, but I’m making an effort to be more intentional about observing her suggestion here. In this section of the blog I’m hoping to regularly review some of the media that’s in my home at the moment, to put it through the refiner’s fire so to speak, to look and see if and where the Spirit might be speaking and, hard as it may be, excuse some “guests” from my home that don’t belong.

It’s been a long time wish of mine that there would be some material available that discussed content like this or that there would be some forum for discussion on the topic, so here’s my crack at it. Please join the conversation as you feel moved. I’ll be working through my collection of music and movies to start with, but I’m open to other suggestions you may have, feel free to post them up here.

Free E-Seminary! A vision of the not-so-distant future?

Can you imagine a time when our churches leaders don’t have any kind of official academic background or haven’t gone through a candidacy process? There’s certainly a good standard that comes out of this process, and yet, where did the Apostle Paul graduate from again? Who approved him to lead the earliest churches?

In a recent conversation with family I was informed that a friend of the family has created a means for people to seek a Seminary level of education for free. Dr. Rodger Dalman has created Evangelical Virtual Seminary (EVS). Dalman has an impressive education and history of service to the world of education, although he is sure to make a point that you don’t identify his understanding of God specifically in light of this.

EVS isn’t identified by any particular body, there’s no credit given for the courses, it’s there simply for deepening your own understanding and relationship with God to better serve others. It’s an entirely independent study program, unless you can find a mentor to look over your work and discuss it with you. There are two levels of study, one equivalent to an M-div degree for lay persons, and another equivalent to an M-Th degree for those who have gone through a masters program.

Although Dalman’s experience with the traditional academic world seems to be quite negatively colored by his past experience, I’ve had quite a good experience in my time at Luther Seminary. That’s not to say I haven’t experienced some of the negativity that scholarly pursuits can bring out of people, but I guess I still trust that my investments are going to a good cause, and the in person community here cannot be matched by any e-environment. On the other hand I’m pursuing my relationship for a deepening of my relationship with God and to better serve others, not for any particular scholarly recognition (other than what’s required by the greater church body), on that note Dalman and I are on the same page.

It’s an impressive undertaking for one person (even if recognition is not his goal). Dalman references some other regular bloggers about the future of the church and how it is decentralizing and in many cases returning to a home church setting. Who will lead these people when long-standing institutions no longer guide the shape of the church? Perhaps education through EVS will have a “credit” of its own kind among these smaller grass-roots congregations.

Although I haven’t had the time to thoroughly mine Dalman’s work and website I truly think he is ahead of his time in his concept. A pattern I did notice is that despite wanting to part from traditional academia, Dalman still follows the formula deeply seated in research and writing as a means for study. That isn’t to say that those means aren’t productive, but there’s much to be said for learning directly from others, and by experiencing things other than books such as media and cultural environments.

If the church does continue to decentralize over time, it will still need some kind of structure for education, a common means to share their ideas with one another while at the same time observing the history of the church and its theology. I hope others will be joining in Dalman’s effort and diversifying it, as I agree that it will be an important one in the not too distant future.

Another God Video

I was referred to this website, Wordle.net, the other night that allows you to take any body of words and instantly randomly create a word collage that emphasizes the words that appear the most frequently. It also conveniently allows you to paste your blog address into the tool and will do the same thing with the content of your blog (including others comments). Getting the image into a format that you can save and use on your blog or elsewhere is a bit tricky, but the site offers some options, one of which I used, a screen shot. Above is the collage for Oneswordsharpensanother, and I’m pretty happy that it expresses the new places that I’ve been seeking out God in the past few months. This can be a fun and quick analytical tool to look at what’s the prominent message of your work and the conversation around it.

A Holy Ghost in the machine?

I was watching music videos on Youtube this morning when a video tab came up on the side of my screen for Ted Williams, the man with the golden voice, so I jumped over to check it out. When I first watched it I was a little shocked at the voice that was coming out of this disheveled man, I thought it was some voice over joke that somebody put on a video, but then I started watching some of the other video suggestions that came up when I watched this story and this amazing story unfolded.

When I think of a viral video I think interesting or entertaining, but I don’t recall having thought of it as life changing. Perhaps more interesting is that the person who benefited from this video didn’t take it. From his story, it seems unlikely he had access to the equipment to make the video, or internet access to upload such a thing. Ted Williams’ social media was a cardboard sign he held up at a street intersection. 48 hours later he’s on CBS’s the Early Show with all kinds of job offers on the table and about to be re-united with his mother. Maybe what strikes me the most about Williams’ viral video history is that God is on his lips from the street corner to our TV’s (or video screens). In perhaps another great reversal, the word has gone out from the street and come into our homes.

Supernatural Nature of Community

We recently watched this in one of my courses at Luther and I wanted to share it here and discuss it a bit. Please holster you doctrine guns and Bible bullets and just listen all the way through before you think about shooting it to pieces. How can we be in conversation with Jim and what truth is there in what he’s presenting?

Although on the one hand thinking of the collective of humanity as being God is problematic and concerning to me, it also resonates with a great deal of Christianity’s language of thinking of itself as The Body of Christ (Ro. 12:5, 1 Cor. 12:12-27). I highly doubt that everyone in Jim’s internet pool are believers in God, but Jim’s testimony gets me to thinking about the potential of The Body of Christ.

Many I watched the video with shared a plethora of Bible verses in opposition to mankind depending on themselves and not God, and I totally agree with that.

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…”(Deut. 8:17-18)

or more prominently,

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5).

We the body of Christ don’t claim to be God, but we have certainly been enabled to do tremendous things beyond what we could ever imagine only years ago. Consider the commissioning of the twelve (Matt. 10, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 9:1-6) They were given the authority against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, even to raise the dead (10:8). When you start to think about how connected we are (the shared knowledge and provided agency), aiding Jim in receiving new life, twice, it is far beyond the imaginable even just 10 years ago. The impossible becomes more possible all the time.

As the line between the two slowly (or quickly) disappears/dwindles over time, the remarkableness of what we are able to do can disappear as well. Stories like Jim’s can remind us of just how enabled we have become, and how those things promised to the original twelve disciples seem to be in a sense,  granted to us as well. As Christians we also need to use our given ability to focus on the source from which it all comes.

As Jim knows, this tremendous power/ability comes from others working as a community to support one another. Behind (in front of?) that community that is so capable is a God who has enabled and continues to enable them. One of my fellow classmates Jody Spiak pointed out that Jim’s story reminded him of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). Indeed we can do some amazing things when we all work together, but God made us to be in relationship with one another AND with him, not to replace him.  Regardless of what Jim’s theological claim is (if that was what he meant to make) I am thankful for the ways in which the Spirit has inspired me to think about the body of Christ through the message he’s shared. As a participant in what Jim calls his religion (the internet) I hope that others see from this what good we can accomplish together, and I also hope that we can aid one another in remembering what the source of good in life is.

Any thoughts the video inspired for you? If you are a disciple of Christ, how has God enabled you and what community do you share that gift with?

More from Elizabeth Drescher and others

I stumbled across another article of Drescher’s, the author of Tweet if You Love Jesus, about what social media is doing for religion. She gives some examples here of not only what churches are doing with social networking, but more importantly how it’s effecting some churches  beyond just their digital presence.

A nod to Pastor Keith Anderson for sharing the article. Pastor Anderson has done what I’m studying in this course for quite some time. Jump over to his page when you have a moment and follow on Twitter or his blog if you dig it.

Although not fully dedicated to the topic of media and tech in the parish,  Adam Copeland is a seasoned blogger/church leader who is still frequently relevant on the topic as well. Here’s a recent post from his blog about the use of smart phones in the sanctuary.

The Dark Tower, the next pop – religion crossover?

I’m just finishing up the 7th and final book in Stephen King‘s Dark Tower series. It’s currently in production to be 3 movies and 2 TV mini series with Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Eat Pray Love) playing the lead character. The Dark Tower story takes place across different times, including both our world in several different times, and also several alternate worlds/realities. There is frequent reference to the Bible and “God and the man Jesus” (I guess the Holy Spirit didn’t make King’s cut). I can’t wait for the movie makes of this awesome series, although I’m sure it’s still years away. The series currently has a huge following and I’m sure the movies will only increase that following. This should be another great opportunity to use the language of this pop culture to familiarize people with theological language and the stories of the Bible.

****SPOILER**** the end of the first book uses imagery that could definitely parallel the Abraham Isaac story. As I’m finishing up the final book in the series it could definitely be read as a commentary on the American life and the privileged few oppressing the rest of the world, and how the main character is turning things upside. As always with any culture, there’s plenty of sin mixed in with the good, but I can’t wait to read the series again and begin dissecting it more and drawing out its positive messages. As I read them again I’m hoping to put together another blog that explores the themes in each of the books since I’ve found no such blog so far. I’ve read bits and pieces in other people’s blogs, but there’s nothing dedicated to it yet. Hopefully doing so will provide a place for others to join the dialogue and improve it as well (kind of like Wikipedia).