randybuist.com

Gingrich: S.C. 'decided to be with us in changing Washington'

2012-01-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

Washington may need a few good people who understand how to cut budgets without killing people. Yet, it is hard to imagine Newt being the person who would change D.C. politics.

Consider this:

Newt is on his third marriage, and he had a mistress in marriage #1 & marriage # 2 prior to each divorce. Each time the mistress became the next wife. Either this is Washinton's current norm or he is ushering in the next wave of mistress acceptability in our nation's capital.

Newt was once the third most powerful American in the nation as the U.S. House of Representative Speaker. He left this office in the middle of a term rather than be removed by the U.S. Congress for ethical failures. Either ethical failure is the new norm or evangelical Christians have decided that it's good to forgive people for their failures. The later option would be a good change except that this attitude of forgiveness hasn't' been extended to President Obama for having the second name of Hussein or for being a black man in charge of this country. Why does an overweight ethnically-unaware white man get a free pass over the brilliantly kind hope-filled black guy?

Newt talks about cutting deficits and budges, but there will be few cuts to our military and tax exemptions for oil companies will continue even though they had record profits in 2011. Cuts to African aid relief, cuts to our nations poor, and cuts to 'the least' and marginalized in our society are certainly on his horizon. Fortunately, a tea party majority of sixty senators is out of his reach for 2012; so the democrats can tie up Newt's ideas for four years, and we'll plunge further into debt as neither side can agree to share a meal together -- let alone share power.

In reality, everything will change if Newt is elected. The liberal media will be kept out of the White House Press Room, and the evil questions posed by the evil empire of the liberal media will be kept at bay. Thus, Newt will usher in an entirely new day for our country, and we shall all be saved by his generosity, goodness, kindness and love.

Sometimes we create fairy tales and they are kept alive by our desire to hope for a better world. Newt's proclamation for changing Washington is just that - a fairy tale.

Death is never 'meant to be'

2011-11-11T13:03:00.003-05:00

Nearly fourteen months ago a friend of mine, Dennis Dykstra, suddenly died of heart failure. He seemed to be hitting his stride in life with a newfound passion for orphans and issues of justice in Africa.

One person who saw this picture commented, "What a great picture...you can HEAR them laughing!" Indeed, if you have ever been to Africa or have a great imagination for just a few seconds, you can hear the kids. It's likely many of these kids had never touched a white man before this moment; so even the idea of white skin is a silly thought to a ten year old in East Africa.

Dennis had found his midlife calling to his wife, his family, and pursuing justice. Then life abruptly ended...

I remember receiving the phone call, and even as I recall it now, I get chills through my entire body. Life is not meant to end this way. Life is not.

As followers of Jesus, we so often say or hear others say, "It was in God's time." "It is according to his plan." At that moment, it seems like consolation, and pushing back against that thought while at a funeral or while giving empathy would be inappropriate. Yet.

This idea that God is fine with death, that God plans for erratic endings to life is wacked.. The ways of Jesus are always about life. Always. While death is a reality of every life, death is never part of the goodness of God.

While I do believe the God of Israel reigns as Lord of all things, it is impossible to fully understand this idea in a world where suffering and brokenness continue to be the reality in which we live. To prove that death can be overcome, Jesus along with others in the biblical text, rise from the dead. Yet, this isn't the current reality in which we live.

I believe we use phrases like "It was in God's plan" to deal with the complex reality of a God who reigns but not yet fully reigns. If God were to have his way with the world at this moment, Dennis would not have died. He would still be loving his wife and children and chasing after justice around the globe.

The tragedy of a life cut short is just that - tragedy. There is no great moment that heals all pains. The story never ends as a beautiful romance that keeps the heart warm forever.

Here is my hope as we stop using the sort of terms 'Christian' community has created to solve deep issues of tension -- that we continue to believe that God is FOR life, for hope, for love, for goodness, for kindness, for justice, and for mercy.

As we pursue these things, the ways of Jesus will make themselves more known over the landscape of the earth. When children stop dying of AIDS, when kids have moms & dads, and when bellies are full and water is abundant, THEN we will experience the reign of God.

When justice flows through the streets of every city and countryside around this mighty planet, then we will know that there is a God who reigns. Until then, we live in part of the hope of God's reign, but human tragedy is never part of that hope.

So, let's pursue the things that set the heart of Dennis on fire. Let's hope that we can walk alongside the Creator of the universe to do great things. Let us urgently fight AIDS, put an end to poverty, and drill wells for every community in on every continent. In pursing the these things, we find hope in the life of Dennis and so many others.

God always reigns in healing, in hope, and in resurrection - never in death. Always in life.

Another Way of Being Church

2011-10-30T17:02:00.001-04:00

Liberty for what purpose?

2011-09-19T00:29:00.002-04:00

It is interesting how ‘compassionate conservatism’ has no traction these days. Perhaps though, evangelical America is so solidified behind the republican party that their votes are expected rather than desired?

Having recently finished Frank Schaeffer’s most recent book titled ‘Sex, God and Mom’, I find his thoughts on the the ‘right’ and evangelical America to have much value. Americans talk about ‘ObamaCare’ as a four letter word while entirely ignoring the millions of people who can’t afford to see a doctor when necessary for healthy living. We cover our disgust of the new health care laws under the guise of ‘liberty’, and yet we fail the biblical text to love our neighbor.

Somehow we’re still o.k. about ignoring our neighbors plight on the same day we heard a sermon of the ‘Good Samaritan.’ But of course, we never find ourselves in that story. We’re good church going republicans… or so we tell ourselves while we proclaim the kingdom to our coworkers who were not in church on Sunday…

I'm looking for a fight...

2011-09-15T23:40:00.002-04:00

And here is why I am looking for a fight these days: While the democrats and republicans in Washington D.C. are not playing fair nor nice, nor are they really being helpful to the nation since they prefer fighting and ideology over and against compromise, my representative is Mr. Bill Huizenga.

I'm looking for a fight - someone to take him on in this conservative second district because he plays the same games as the rest of the crew in D.C. But, he's my congressman, and I can fight for him to change his ways or for someone else to go to D.C. to represent me. This is the beauty of a democracy. I can speak. I can write. I can vote. And I can challenge Mr. Bill Huizenga to either be more honest or change his ways or look for a challenger.

Mr. Congressman, you continue to harp on jobs and job creation, and you direct your accusations at President Obama and the democrats. Undoubtedly they share some of the blame for this mess, but you prefer to take none of the blame. Furthermore, you tout the idea of job creation as something that America needs -- and we do.

Yet, you fail to address the needs of the second largest business in Michigan - agriculture. We in the AG business are looking for support from you for immigration reform. We have employees who could benefit from reform, and we have businesses that would become more stabilized with the reform. Yet, on this issue you turn away and support the party line. I realize it's about votes. Your position is not about what is right nor what is good nor just nor even about jobs. Yet, you claim to support 'job creators.' In reality, you support new jobs if they fit within the party lines. Is it no wonder our economy is in a mess?

So, please be honest with us. Until you are willing to support immigration reform in D.C. for the sake of the AG business in your own state, your accusations toward 'the other side' are not fair. You have failed to support changes that we believe are necessary, and you seem to be unwillingness to support the AG business in your district. As a follower of Jesus Christ and someone who is passionate about justice and mercy, and also as someone whose family business employs migrants and American citizens, I am rightly offended by the inability of self-reflection and recognition of the problematic policies held by both parties.

This is not simply a differing of opinion or a difference in philosophy. I encourage and challenge you to find a political position that will support job creation that also supports the diverse agriculture scene of Ottawa County. Until your position changes on this issue, your talk about desiring to help with job creation is is what my grandfather would have called chaff. As 'job creators' in your district, should we not expect better?

Kenya Matters Reflections: Late August Edition

2011-09-02T02:37:00.001-04:00

On this first day of September, I’m in my favorite coffee shop with my eight-year-old son enjoying quiet time across the table from one another. A silent glimpse and occasional few words remind us of the presence of the other. For our family and a handful of others here in West Michigan and elsewhere around the globe, life is a constant mix of family, work—and the efforts, thoughts, hopes and prayers for our orphan friends in Karai, Kenya.

At times I almost wish this project away, as it feels like a burden to care for kids half a world away. On the other hand, it is also one of the greatest joys of many of our lives. Two weeks ago I was sitting in a corporate board meeting, and I received an email stating that the water volume of the well was very good! I immediately interrupted the meeting to share the news. Tears swelled in the eyes of the sixty-six year old co-founder of this company. Friends, we’re making a difference.

A day later at a gathering of friends, while celebrating water at the bottom of our 260 meter deep well, Jason Anderson stated, “Now we’ve done something significant with our lives.”

Savor this reality. And know that we have work to do. We have a well & water project that needs funding to develop: irrigation for eight acres of farmland, showers for teenagers, and a filtration system for drinking water. We also have five additional orphan friends who will need tuition assistance for high school this coming year.

We’re asking you in real financial ways to help our thirty-two kids in Karai. Please give it some thought, and consider how you can join us in this effort.

On behalf of the board, we celebrate and challenge ourselves (and you) to the future that lies ahead.

Blessings,
Randy

What a day -- vacation in the Smoky Mt’s. & more...

2011-08-17T23:27:00.002-04:00

Today we are celebrating our 21st anniversary! Sure, I thought we would make it twenty-one years, but I’m not sure I believed we would do it this way. Married at twenty-one and twenty-four, we were pretty young, but then again it was 1990. Things have changed a bit in those short decades, and it’s probably for the better that kids want to know a bit about themselves as adults before they decide to get married.

Yesterday was recovering from the stomach flu of Monday, and today was the Jeep overheating as we pulled into the Smoky Mountain National Park visitor center. Three young kids made good water haulers between the restroom and the Jeep’s radiator with 1/2 liter bottles in hand.

While wrestling with how to deal with the Jeep, considering a car rental and wondering how much the local mechanics would appreciate my tourism wealth, I got a call from a guy back home. His son had been signed up for the youth soccer club of which I help organize, but he had dropped out a few weeks back. Earlier I had left a message that we were hoping his son would play for us this year.

Suddenly my two days of stomach flu and my eight year old Jeep dying on the mountainside were simply small glitches in life. The kid who loves soccer couldn't play because mom was in an accident a few months ago. Yesterday her leg was amputated by surgeons. The complexity of life along with a soccer schedule were more than dad wanted to consider.

Walking into the parks visitors center I noted the sign that told much: “Over the past fifty years, the visibility in the park has been reduced by 40% in the winter and 80% in the summer due to pollution.” I was reminded of my congressman stating how cutting the EPA would benefit business a great deal and help stimulate the economy. I wonder if he asked the residents of Gatlinburg how they feel about cutting EPA regulations and how these cuts might stimulate their economy over the next decade?

Later in the day I received word that our well and water project in Karai, Kenya was progressing well... Well. After four months of Living Water International failing to reach depths necessary for water in the Rift Valley, a local contractor took four days to find water at 220 meters. Now the fun of finding funds to distribute and use the water are pressing, but that too seems to be a good pressure. I still have two healthy legs, and I helped another kid get to the soccer fields this fall.

It’s time for a glass of red wine as I ponder these mountains standing, laying, or perhaps sitting around me. While I can’t see them in the darkness of this summer night, I trust we’ll care for them for years to come as they give us majesty and beauty and grandeur beyond our imaginations. Of course, if we can’t see them, we won’t imagine those things either. Perhaps that’s what our politicians really want.

Grandma is saying goodbye...

2011-08-02T12:17:00.001-04:00

Shivers wrestle their way across the muscles, bones, and flesh of my body just writing the title to this post. We've experienced death before with this family, but it's usually been a miscarriage with a life cut short. It's been many years since Grandma Gert went to live with God. We still have great memories. We also still grieve her loss. If only my kids could have tasted her chocolate milk on on hot summer day or seen the look of pure joy her eyes gave out to her grandchildren most every time we entered her kitchen for a family visit.

Death is suppoesd to hurt a bit less as people age. We are supposed to die eventually. But we are not. We were meant to live with God among us on this earth. We were meant to live forever, but somehow we do not yet live in that reality. Until then, we will live with pain, hurt, and tears. The shivers will continue as we know a funeral is coming and Grandpa will be burying his second wife. We will share memories of Grandma Fan for decades to come as well. She was such a natural second grandma. She loved us and my grandpa well.

Life is not supposed to be this way. Until God lives more completely among us, hold me tight. I'm shaking like a leaf on a tree in a summer storm, and I want to believe everything will be o.k. But sometimes I'm not so sure... Just don't tell me God meant for it to be this way or that it's all in God's plan. Death was never in God's plan. Pain was never in God's plan. That isn't the way of God... and I'm sensing the winds are increasing.... I want to go hold my grandpa's hand like my eight year old boyhood of thirty-seven years ago did on many occasions.

Did we lose our souls with this budget deal?

2011-08-01T22:46:00.013-04:00

~ Written around 7 p.m. on August 1 of 2011

I'm mystified and deeply discontent with the political rhetoric from the right wing of the republican party these days. It's not that the democrats have it all figured out. It's this never ending mantra that taxes are bad, that increases in taxes are bad, that all monies consumed by our federal government are essentially evil.

Driving down the road today, I slowed for a significant accident. Two police car, a smashed vehicle, one lady in a neck brace. I drove onward slowly wondering whose lives may be forever changed. Moments later another siren, a police car heading toward that scene. Cars slowed and scurried to the side of the road for the sake of the emergency vehicle, and I was reminded that all of us on that road were in favor of helping that police officer and that lady in the neck brace. Time, energy, and money didn't matter at that moment.

At 7 p.m. tonight my wife called to tell me she was running late coming home. She had witnessed a car hit a railing on the highway, tumble down the asphalt and come to rest a hundred yards ahead of her vehicle. She was holding a two year old boy in her arms when she called me. She had pulled him out of that car. He was taken by helicopter to Spectrum.

My grandfather who is eighty-six is sitting at a nursing home at this moment. He's sitting alongside the bed of his second wife. She's eighty-eight. Her body is quickly failing. We are heading over there in minutes, but I'm still waiting for my wife to come home. I'm sure she is shaken up. And my Grandpa will need my now 45 year old hand to hold his hand. He won't mind that I am no longer eight years old.

In D.C. the House of Representatives just passed the budget bill that will keep the U.S. government out of foreclosure. This is good news for business. This is good news for investors and stocks and people who play those kind of games. I wonder if it will be good news for single moms and elderly people without husbands and wives or even grandkids to hold their hands. But you see, we don't really care about these things anymore. It's become all about our own money. We can read my stories of this day, and we can weep or be moved. But at the end of the day we would rather allow others suffer or die alone rather than have our taxes increased by 5% even if we could afford the cost. Many of us are still doing very well in the midst of this economy. That's why they call us 'job creators.' After all, we don't really want to hear about the pain of others. Let's leave that to someone else.

Thanks for keeping my taxes low Mr. Amash and Mr. Huizenga I'm sure your motives were pure and honest and certainly in line with the Christian faith passed along to me by my four amazing grandparents. On second thought, I will pass on praise. You went to Washington and lost your heart and soul somewhere in the baggage area at one of the D.C. airports.

When we elected you, we expected better than what you gave us over the past three months. While many of us grew up republicans, we try not to worship our money. If we want to be a nation of gluttony and greed, you are representing us well. But in fact you've opened the door for others to step into D.C. in 2012. We, in West Michigan have more heart, more soul, and more love than just for our money. It's time for a new Paul Henry or Vern Ehlers to represent us. Most of us still believe in things greater than low taxes. As for each of you, you've shown your true heart, and for this we are both saddened and appalled.

Kenya Matters' - pics from July

2011-07-28T16:21:00.001-04:00

Kenya Matters' photostream on Flickr.

In July of this year two groups of friends visited our project in Karai, Kenya.

A group of six people from Spring Valley church visited in late June & early July for about two weeks.

A day after the Spring Valley group departed, Kurt & Lori Wilson and their children, Pierce & Miriam, spent three days with our Kenyan friends.

These pictures tell part of the story of Kenya Matters!

time for another change...

2011-06-06T11:22:00.000-04:00

Fortunately for me, my life is full of seasons each year. Beyond the four distinct seasons of Michigan, I have seasons of fall high school volleyball, winter rest, spring flowers, summer with my kids, among other seasons that intersect these such as finding chunks of time for Kenya Matters, my kids soccer & other things dear to my heart.

This spring has come and gone with a furry as it didn't arrive until May 8, and it is now starting to slip into summer... With this change, I will soon have time for my kids, my amazing wife, the garden & yard, the honey 'to-do' list, reading a bit, and hopefully writing.

I'm craving a return to writing almost as much as I'm craving a return to family time. As I get older, it seems increasingly important for me to share thoughts of goodness, kindness, justice, and mercy as proclaimed by Jesus. At the same time, I find thoughtful theological voices all too often stay away from the political hot buttons that are inflaming this country at this time.

A case in point, Jesus followers should be advocating for justice and mercy toward the eleven million immigrants who reside in our nation. Yet, various factions of the population believe we should treat them as 'illegal' and secondly as humans. Yet, many of these same factions call themselves 'Christians.' While I don't doubt their sincerity of wanting to follow Jesus, there is no doubt how the biblical text is to be understood when it comes to our treatment of the least, the poor, the marginalized.

Perhaps Jesus followers are not committed to the ways of Jesus, but all too often I believe they are simply misguided. Let's at least this is the case.

Leaving Kenya... again

2011-04-12T13:49:00.000-04:00

My fifth trip to this country in the past 28 months has created something in my life that I never expected or entertained even three years ago. It was Jason Anderson's invitation to accompany him on a trip in Dec. of 2008 that began this journey.

In Dec. of 2008 I found myself falling in love with 32 orphan children in rural Kenya. Then I found myself growing in passion and hope for the lives of these kids. Today I found myself on the grounds of the well guarded U.S. Embassy in Nairobi meeting with someone from USAID, and I dream of a day when I can speak fluent Swahili.

As I walked away from my orphan friends and their caregivers late this morning, the contentment in my life when I am here in Kenya is... while I am such a stranger with white skin here, it's as if I can breathe air while underwater. I really don't fully belong. Not only is my skin white, I don't yet understand the customs of this place nor do I speak any of the languages (thankfully English is spoken most places here).

When here, I feel as if life is complete with the exception of being part of my children's lives, and the contentment isn't the result of Xanax, a message, or yoga. It's real, and it's life here. I only wish more of my friends could touch these kids and ALSO realize that we can be content in life without going 100 m.p.h., winning every game, every scholarship, and every business meeting. Life is so much more. It's about people, about caring, about simply tasting dinner without rushing off to the next thing, and it's about inviting the neighbor for tea when there is still work to be done.

Don't get me wrong. These people are in no way lazy or without ambition. They simply seem to have a better sense of how God has created us as human beings -- that relationships and caring for one another always win the day...

Why love does win!

2011-03-26T23:43:00.001-04:00

I simply can’t get beyond theology that is held so tightly that it’s incapable of allowing for a differing opinion of the biblical text.

I am not suggesting that someone needs to practice a differing perspective, but that is entirely different. When we fail in our humility toward other humans, we also fail in our humility before God. When we absolutely believe that we hold the one correct interpretation of the biblical text, we fail to hold humility deeply, and we ultimately become poorer reflections of the risen Christ.

If not us, then whom?

2011-01-04T10:37:00.001-05:00

The U.S. House Republicans are claiming they will repeal the new comprehensive health care law passed last year by our government. Some people claim it is not our duty to be sure that everyone in America receives health care. Some people claim that it is too expensive for their business. Some people don't like the fact that lots of people will get coverage even though they don't have a job.

But with Americans increasingly experiencing the gap between the rich and the poor, with less jobs available for our youth, and certainly with less good paying jobs available, I ask WHO is going to ensure that our nations sick, our nations young mothers, our nations elderly can get decent medical care?

If it is not us, then WHOM? Either we are serious about the ways of Jesus Christ, or we are nothing but fakes. In such case, it is no wonder that hurting and broken people fail to see our witness. Until we decide to become disciples of Jesus Christ, our voice has no value (whether we are forgiven or not).

Until we believe our neighbors are worthy of our monies, can we be serious disciples of Jesus Christ regardless how many times a week we attend 'church'?

Under the Kenyan Sun

2011-01-02T12:03:00.001-05:00

Sunday, January 2 of 2011

Another day under the Kenyan sun! A trip to Kenya in December may interupt the holidays at home, but the warmth of the sun and the brisk winds have no desire to bring snowflakes or snowstorms upon the people of this land.

We’ve had another good day. Phyllis taught some more crocheting and weaving to the kids. Kathy and Micki interviewed a bunch of the kids this afternoon, and Anna, Jaden, and I taught a few of the kids some new games - Old Mail, Blockus, Dominoes, and Tic-Tac-Toe. We still have Skip-Bo, Rummikub, and Banana-grams to teach. We’ll see how far we get.

Anna, Jaden, and I concluded the day with an hour of pretty intense futball including a few of the bigger guys from the neighborhood. At fourty something, I’m still pretty quick, but my feet go nowhere when it comes to playing the ball. Sigh - oh well. At least, I’m still giving it a go.

It’s 7:45 p.m., and we’re in Elijah’s home hanging out in the living room. The aromas from the kitchen are making me believe that I am hungry even though it may not be the case. And even the hard mattress seems to be calling my name. We’re tired after another day under the Kenyan sun.

New Years Day in rural Kenya

2011-01-01T03:38:00.001-05:00

At the prompting of my eight year old son Jaden, I found myself on the futball field with the kids. You need to imagine a game that is so different and yet to similar to ours. The players usually range from our youngest orphan children at eight or ten years of age to the nieghborhood boys who hear the noises from the field and join in the fun. They are sometimes in their early twenties.

Skirts on girls and dress pants on the boys is not uncommon mixed with t-shirts and shorts. Soccer cleats have never seen this field. Barefeet, flip-flops, sandles, occaional dress shoes, and a pair or two of sneakers are the most common mix of footwear.

Very good skill along with a passion for the game are the norm on this field. In reality, it’s a ‘field of sorts.’ The soccer goals often collapse. The terrain has holes and little grass. An outhouse stood nearly in the middle of the field until it blew over in the winds a few months ago. The significant sized foundation of the outhouse remains in the field.

The ball can now pass over the foundation. Previously the outhouse acted as a defensive player for the team with ball posession. We are all glad the outhouse blew over even though it was convienent when playing; taking a bathroom break meant only a minute away from the game.

The field is also marked with occasional sheep droppings and cow dung. The dried remains are of no concern. It’s the somewhat or very moist droppings that mess with... mostly just the feet.

In reality, the game goes on regardless of how recently the cows have been around. An active soccer ball doesn’t allow much to cling to it, but the feet are another issue. Thus, the reason that Jaden and Anna and I prefer shoes rather than barefeet.

It simply seems ironic on so many levels. The skill is as good as that found on a Rangers field. The energy and passion for the game are as intense as found at a Manchester United match. The quality of the field, goals, and player equipment is non-existant. Yet these Kenyan kids find the same joy in the competition and comradery as is found elsewhere in the world... And there is never complaining about the conditions of the field.

thoughts for future ponderings...

2010-11-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

Fact is: I have too many thoughts in my head that need pondering and release and perhaps some writing as well. Perhaps it's writing over the next week or seven.

Seven is a number of wholeness; so maybe I need to pound some ideas out of my head so that I can remain sain... or less insane.

Had an uncle die this past summer. He was an ordinary guy, life was a bit boring by many standards, and yet I am compelled to think of him often since his death. I miss my Uncle Dale. He taught me much, and I never really told him how much I learned in my early years. Now I have an eight year old son who loves fishing - just like Uncle Dale. Someday soon I want to rightly write some of my thoughts about his life.

Justin Bieber. I had no idea who this kid was until I found him on YouTube tonight. A 16 year old kid singing and doing music videos over the internet all while looking like a 12 year old. I'll assume he didn't get the memo, but 12 year old boys like soccer, making leaf piles in the yard, fighting with sisters, and denying that girls will ever offer anything of value to their lives. So, why is he acting, looking, and sounding like he is 12?

The American Evangelical (near) Failure in America: A book that I would like to have written, or write, or co-write about how we have co-opted the gospel message, the message of God with his people into something almost entirely different than what we hear in church on Sunday and what we live in our economic system, and what we embrace as "Christian" politics. Perhaps it's not too late for either the nation or the church, but... when will we realize that our gospel as held by us white folks in North America is not the gospel we were given by either the stories handed down to us or the stories handed down through the biblical text?

Three posts... all to be addressed before Thanksgiving.

Peace.

Restoring Sanity...

2010-10-28T09:56:00.001-04:00

Jon Stewart is about to head to the mall in D.C. for his Rally to Restore Sanity party. In the midst of his own political leanings, he's captured a bit of the sentiment of the nation.

This morning I am struck by the speech of Mr. Newt Gingrich yesterday at Liberty University. Yesterday Newt suggested that President Obama is leading America down the road of secular socialism. Does anyone besides me find it ironic that Mr. Gingrich has the audacity to talk about himself as holding conservative values?

While he may be an economic conservative, his personal ethics show none of the values that led my grandparents and parents to adhere to the values held by the Republican party.

Unless I've lost count, Mr. Gingrich is currently on his third wife, and by all accounts, he's unreliable when it comes to faithfulness to his wife of the moment.

At this moment, I simply ask that we question our willingness to listen to the words of Mr. Gingrich. I know the grandfather whose last name I hold would have no part of the political agenda of Mr. Gingrich nor would he trust a word the man says.

It's time to shut out the voices who hold no credibility including Mr. Gingrich. It's time to again value thoughtfulness, integrity, and hope for our fellow Americans.

It's time for me to again thank my grandfather for his strong ethics that permeate my life, and it's time for me to love rather than hate, create hope rather than fear, and to believe politics should be about more than me and my party or me and my loud voice.

Instead, they should ask, what about my neighbor? Or in Newt's case perhaps, what about my neighbor's wife?

Naomi Wachira - We Are

2010-10-05T00:54:00.000-04:00

Mo(u)rning with Joy

2010-10-04T08:21:00.001-04:00

Sitting at the kitchen table.
The table that my grandpa & grandma buist had in their dining room for years.
The same table that had great meals, made Christmas cookies, and taught the etiquette of listening to the bible reading and prayer.
Waiting to wake Jaden and Nadia for the day.
Playing "JoY" by The Autumn Film right now.

Remembering the conversation over coffee with your brother at Signatures.
Recognizing the passion for the people of Africa that he had found in his heart at mid life and resonating so well with it.

This morning I am sad for you, for your family, for Debbie and the kids.
And yet we serve a God who will someday turn all wrongs to right.
There will be a resurrection. Say it aloud: There will be a resurrection.
There will be reuniting of families and of friendships.

We hope.
We yearn.
We cry out now knowing why 'not yet?'
And yet we know that we know that we know someday will come

Today I celebrate an email from a cousin in Atlanta.
She's sending me a key to her apartment for my visit to her city.
She'll be in Thailand when I arrive to her town.
Yet her hospitality welcomes me.

This is the kind of love people of Jesus show.
This is the kind of day I want to live today.
This is the way of Jesus Christ.
This is the way we were created to be.

Today I celebrate Dennis Dykstra.
Today I celebrate Jesus Christ.
And the coming of the kingdom.

To Kenya & back...

2010-08-17T07:02:00.000-04:00

Today is a celebration of life.

Merging of my family & friends in Kenya & America... An amazing wedding celebration of my friend and his wife from Karai, Kenya, thirty-two orphaned Kenya kids who rely on our support for their hopes and dreams to be realized, friendships that have grown roots deeply on the African continent very quickly, and now back to my U.S. home.

Today Kathy & I celebrate twenty years of marriage! Today I help with volleyball tryouts of the freshman girls at Unity Christian where hopes and dreams of fourteen years old girls will be both dashed and realized.

Life is fragile, delicate, convoluted at times when it comes to perspective, and yet also crystal clear at other times. Today I will visit the funeral home for my seventy year old Uncle Dale Buist who died suddenly of a heart attack while fishing in Northern Michigan. I am saddened, but he died doing one of the passions of his life.

Life is both rotten tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in the same garden. As humans, we hope for the days when our garden has no rotten tomatoes, and yet we know that reality is fleeting.

This morning my garden has both rotten and good tomatoes, but I especially like the sweet tomatoes. I thank God for the views and tastes of this moment as I savor some of the best coffee in the world, and I thank God for amazing family & friends who have shaped my life over the years.

Today, August 17 of 2010, I thank God for an amazing wife who has become a life partner of incredible proportions! I recall my Grandpa Buist being saddened that he and Gert didn't quite make sixty-five years. Perhaps that too is our goal, and yet sixty-five years would be much too short. I look forward to a future when our lives will be intermingled forever.

Today that thought is my hope, my joy, my Psalm of praise and thanksgiving. Today my surest sign of the kingdom of God is the living biblical text breathing life into my hopes, my dreams, my Kenyan friends, my American friends, in the form of Kathy Ann.

My heart is full, and my tomatoes taste very sweet even as tears flow.

Safari @ Nakuru Game Park, Kenya -- today

2010-08-12T15:04:00.000-04:00

a safari with 32 orphaned kenyan kids today
baboon of a good size jumps thru the tour bus window
grabs the bag of paper plates temporarily
discards the bag when he realizes no food is to be found inside
opens his large mouth and hisses at us
my head was four feet from his fangs at that moment
fortunately he found an open window before anyone got hurt
what a story for our lifetimes
four americans
seven kenyan adults
thirty-two orphaned kids
no I did not make this up

Why it Matters - Immigration Reform

2010-07-19T15:10:00.003-04:00

Lunch today with Kate from the Social Justice office of the Christian Reformed Church of North America -- yes, social justice is now being promoted within this reformed denomination as if issues of justice matter to Yahweh.

Placing all cynicism aside, I'm encouraged that a theologically steeped denomination is willing to take the mantle of social justice, and particularly immigration reform, seriously.

I suspect that immigration reform and the way that it is handled over the next decade, has the ability to tear the Christian church apart across this country or give it a healthy trajectory into this decade. We, as people living in the Spirit of God, have the ability to proclaim that we are people of justice. Or not.

We have the ability to influence conversations about this issue in our church board rooms, in our office meetings, over lunch with friends and acquaintances, and among strangers willing to engage in this issue.

We have the ability to be people of justice and mercy. We have the ability to speak the truth, and we have the ability to love our neighbors regardless of their nationality, their skin color, their sexual orientation, or their legal status.

We have the ability to be people of goodness and kindness, justice and mercy, but will we? Are we willing to speak out for the marginalized, the poor, the oppressed who have no place to speak, who have no senator to email nor a family member who can keep them safe.

It is time for us, for the people who call themselves followers of Yahweh, to do justice and to love mercy in ways that we have not done since the civil right days.

If we really seek righteousness, which means to live right with God, to live in the the shadow of God, then we are called to emulate, to embody, to do the things that God requires of us.

It is now time for us to speak out regardless of the consequences.

It's time.

2010-07-08T02:48:00.001-04:00

It's time to write again.
To reflect again.
To think deeply.
To challenge myself.
To hope more fully.
To dream more completely.
To desire the things of God more clearly.

The things of Spring have passed away.
Greenhouses have emptied.
Flowers have been sold.
Time to rest.
Time to be still.
Time to know that I have not all the answers.
Time to recognize better ways of being human.

Time to write again.

'Wavin' Flag' by K'naan (Official World Cup Theme Song) on QTV

2010-06-28T04:12:00.001-04:00

This song touches something deep within me. K'naan is a Somalian who lived his life in this war torn nation now dominated by warlords, pirates, and poverty. Yet, he sings this song with the hope that I hear echoed by a friend of years ago. His name was Paul, and he wrote, "These things remain. Faith. Hope. Love." I hear K'naan echoing these thoughts as well.

Jesus people need to look at immigration reform differently

2010-05-12T10:52:00.017-04:00

As followers of Jesus Christ, are our lives and the politics of our lives different than those of any other American? I believe way too many of us have decided that simply following a party line on all issues makes for faithful following of Jesus.

After my picture post of how I envision the kingdom of God, I got some push back of which I didn't post several comments. I replied with my perspective in a comment of my own, but it was really insufficient in terms of depth and thoughtfulness. Whenever we talk about immigration reform, we need to look at the biblical text. I'm not suggesting the biblical text directly answers the question of immigration and particularly illegal immigration. I don't believe the biblical text is an answer book for all questions of life. But.

I do believe the biblical text tells us how to live as God's people in the midst of the culture in which we find ourselves. Regardless of time or place, the biblical text speaks to us. It demands that we live a certain way in our time and space. While we need to uphold the laws of our land, we also need to uphold our commitment to the biblical story. Following Jesus means that we have hopes and dreams and an understanding of reality that is different than those who don't believe in the resurrection. Living as people who hold the image of God, even if it is tainted, means that we are to live differently. A good friend of mine read a portion of the biblical text last night, and I couldn't help but imagine what it means for the issue of immigration reform. The particular text reads...

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [Galatians 5:22-25]

It's interesting how Paul places "Against such things there is now law" immediately after mentioning the fruits of the Spirit. In other words, these are the ways by which we live as followers of Jesus Christ. We don't refer to the U.S. law; we don't refer to immigration laws; we don't refer to the law of Arizona when we consider the issue of immigration. No. We refer to how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ. It is this calling that shapes our politics and and our other life choices.

How I envision the kingdom of God

2010-05-05T00:20:00.000-04:00

There is much debate about immigration reform these days here in the States. I also know how the kingdom of God looks according to a healthy reading of the biblical text.

Here it is as imagined and experienced by our family among our friends in Karai, Kenya.

Life stages....

2010-05-03T00:05:00.000-04:00

It's spring time, and it's an amazing spring here in Michigan. We don't often get springs this calm, this filled with sun, all while lacking Chicago & Gary pollution that occasionally gets pushed up this way.

A great spring also means lots of work to keep the greenhouse production group moving forward, and it means inspiring our Home Depot merchandising employees to keep doing great work even when they are tired.

While I love this work most of the time, it leaves me exhausted. There is very little time for writing on the things of which I want to really write... I'll be back with some articles sometime this week, but it won't be steady writing again until early June.

Thanks for stopping here for a few moments.

Peace.

In Honor of friends Mike & Stacy Stavlund

2010-04-23T00:36:00.000-04:00

reading through some stuff in my "documents" folder on my hard drive tonight... This was written by my wife Kathy several years ago. Mike and Stacy, dear friends, had just lost their son...

Warmth

Glorietta

Beautiful landscape

Sunshine warming the earth

Warmth spreading among His People

A gorgeous place for new friendships

Mike and Stacy

Real to the core

Warm eyes

Warm smiles

Glowing love for one another

Kingdom Exhibitionists

William Addison Stavlund

Warm eyes

Warm smile

Gorgeous Hair

Emerging Kingdom Exhibitionist

Oh God, hear our cry

Warm them with your spirit

Warmth to the core

(I still cry and hold their pain as my own even though I know it so faintly.)

Reflection on Peter Rollins in Grand Rapids this past Friday night...

2010-04-11T23:54:00.003-04:00

Friday night was my second "live" introduction to Peter Rollins. He was here in Grand Rapids fifteen months ago, and I had the opportunity to spend a number of hours with him over several days. This time things were quite different though. Pete on stage doing his thing is different than face to face conversation... yet it was still good.

Peter is a good story teller and an equally good host. He and his co-conspirators on this tour were interesting and provocative at times. Creativity and art along with song, particularly poetry, brought stories to life. An hour after the show was over, Peter was still mingling among the crowd who had come for the evening/.

For some of my friends, the stories and ideas of the night carried the evening. Sometimes the words of Peter ask his listeners if they are honest with faith claims? i.e. If we claim to follow Jesus, are we really living lives that reflect the resurrection? Theologians may jump onto Peter's back for not claiming Jesus lived and died 2000 years ago. Yet he and his friends talked about Jesus as the Prince of Peace, proclaimed him the Son of God, and invoked "Hallelujah" on more than one occasion. If this language of the faith doesn't suffice for the critics, nothing short of an alter call and a five point sermon will quiet those who question Peter's theology.

While I appreciated the words of Peter and company, it was the crowd of people who remain etched on my scratchpad. Just a mile from the downtown, the venue was a hidden blue collar sort of place, and yet people began to congregate two hours before Peter was to take the stage. A crowd of two hundred plus people hanging out, many of whom don't frequent these sort of places, and certainly not on any regular basis, were faithfully gathering during the pubs 'happy hour'.

What brings two hundred people out on a Friday night? A good percentage of these people were tired from a week of work. A good number of these people don't think of a bar atmosphere as a place to hang with friends. But Peter and friends are offering a way of following Jesus that isn't thought of too often from the confines of the church.

Pete suggests another way of thinking about following Jesus. Peter suggests that people of faith, people who follow Jesus Christ, can be people who don't simply conform to the standard doctrinal positions with clean questions and answers. Rather, in the asking of the questions, we can hear our pains and our joys. We can hear and see and smell real life ooze withe the reality of brokenness and of hope for a better tomorrow -- hope for the resurrection of all living things.

In these questions and partial answers we hear and experience the biblical text coming to life. We live into the reality that the gospel demands of us when we feed the poor and cloth the orphan. In so doing we live into the resurrection.

The lasting impression for the night: If followers of Jesus want the church to become what it is intended to be at this moment in history in this particular community called Grand Rapids and/or West Michigan, then we need to persist that our lives collectively represent the one whom we claim to follow. Two hundred people didn't show up at a local pub to drink a beer with several Irishmen. Although we would have, we didn't. We showed up because we still have hope in the one we follow, but we hope that we may follow in ways that we have yet to find.

For these Rollins fans, most regular churches won't allow for the kind of creativity necessary for them. This is not to say local churches are not doing their tasks well, but for some people even the hundreds of churches in Grand Rapids and beyond don't allow for them to grasp the ways of Jesus in the ways that they long to become their reality.

~ On the way out the door I said to Pete, "Let's do 'Two Days With Pete' sometime next winter here in Grand Rapids. With that question, I got more than a nod. I don't think we're done hearing from Pete or the two hundred people who showed up longing for...

Africa with hope for the resurrection

2010-04-01T23:32:00.001-04:00

The following was posted by Brian D. McLaren on his Facebook Notes page. Since Africa has become a holy place to our family, I post this as a constant reminder as well as a prayer. From Brian:

In the mystery of incarnation, we Christians believe that God bonds forever with humanity. God doesn't simply enter humanity when Jesus is born and then depart when he ascends: God takes humanity into God's self in an indissoluble union. So during Holy Week, as we consider the sufferings of God in Christ nearly 2000 years ago, it is appropriate to ask where humanity is being beaten and bloodied today ... because these assaults are assaults on the God who is forever bonded with humanity in suffering.

One such place is Eastern Congo. Congo Peace and Enough provide a good introduction to the ongoing atrocities continuing there ... millions dead, mass rapes, complicit neighboring and distant governments, corporate corruption, environmental destruction, exploitation of resources, heartbreak on a scale that's hard to imagine. Fifteen hundred people died yesterday due to violence and displacement, and fifteen hundred more will die today. And tomorrow, unless ...

And so this prayer ...

God our Creator, of all your masterpieces of creation, Africa is among the most wonderful. Forests, plains, rivers, mountains ... elephants, giraffes, gazelles, lions ... weaver finches, acacias, banyans, chimpanzees ... and living among them since the dawn of humanity, tribes of beautiful, creative, resilient people ... from the Twa in the central rainforests to the Khoisan and Fulani in the deserts to the South and North. And there in the heart of Africa, a fertile jewel called the Congo.
Our hearts ache for what is happening there. Can it be, Living God, that in every rape, you are being raped? That in every killing, you are being killed? That in every dirty diamond and coltan mine, you are being exploited? That in every child soldier being kidnapped and forced to kill, your future is being stolen? That as the international community turns a blind eye and falls asleep, your beloved Son is being - again, as in that first holy week - abandoned by his friends to weep alone and be betrayed into the hands of those who only want him to exploit him?

Living God, with us in our suffering and dying, rouse us from our sleep so we may stand by Africa, and especially the wound in its heart in Eastern Congo. Begin by moving us to learn what is happening there, and having learned, to care, and caring, to advocate, and advocating, to persist until change comes. May resurrection come to the people of Eastern Congo, and to all those who suffer in Africa. And may resurrection come to the rest of us, so that we realize that if you are bound to those who suffer, so are we. In injustice and suffering we are bound to one another, and you to us, Most Merciful God. May we be instruments of your peace, through the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Saving someone at Panera

2010-03-30T13:59:00.000-04:00

I'm currently watching some big guy trying to evangelize someone at a table at Panera Bread in East Kentwood. It feels odd to watch, and it feels squirmy watching the sinner guy trying to figure out if he should make the plunge.

While I am all for people following Jesus, why don't we invite people into a life of the kingdom before we expect them to follow Jesus? Why don't we show people our lives of goodness, gentleness, peace, and social justice before blindly inviting them to follow Jesus?

I mean really. Now he's talking about faith as a triangle. What? Jesus never mentioned a triangle... and now he said, "Make any sense to you?"

Well, it doesn't make any sense to me to think about following Jesus into the kingdom via a triangle. I hope it works for this guy. But really. We can do much better than try to make people feel uncomfortable at Panera as we ask them for their life.

This is why I embrace friends who are writing books -- books that look at the Christian faith from a different perspective and give us alternative ways of trying to follow Jesus.

"The Hotdog Man"

2010-03-24T01:57:00.000-04:00

Woke to the D.J.'s yapping on my favorite morning show while having some fun. Woke to the sun streaming into my window and across my face with my little almost four year old cuddled close in her mom and dad's bed. Woke to the reality of the Spirit in the house.

Got the kids off to school. Got time for a bit of social media and some cleaning of the house before the cuddly one awoke. With the vacuum in my hand, she surprised me with her giggles. Looking up bewildered, she giggled even louder knowing she has startled me. There she sat in her tiny frame sitting on the steps descending from the upstairs. And this was yet the beginning of my day.

On my way to my favorite coffee shop downtown. Time to catch up with a friend. Time to catch up on email and the details of running a young family. Time also to breathe a bit.

After parking the car, I headed to MadCap. Realizing that I would likely be there a few hours and also aware that I had limited food in my tank, the hotdog vendor on this sunny day caught my attention.

Crossing over the road to her cart, I became aware how many people were on the mall during the lunch hour. The entire street breathed life. Spring felt near.

Sighting an empty bench in the sunshine thirty yards away, I made my way with my aging overstuffed Samsonite computer bag. Polish sausage with ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot peppers, and onions along with a water in one hand. The other wrapped around my bag.

After finding the comfy spot on the wire bench all while beginning to stuff the sausage down my yap, it was difficult not to spot the guy 'over there.' The guy going thru the city owned trash containers was no figment of mine.

In the first, he found two aluminum cans. Those went into his plastic bag. Then he fished a snack sized bag of pretzels out of the garbage, held it with one hand, and ate half a dozen pretzels from it before returning the bag to the container.

He crossed the street. My eyes intrigued. I heard echos of friends saying they offer bus passes to people who ask for money. They actually carry bus passes so they don't give money to vices that shouldn't really be supported.

The second city container was an entire twenty feet away from me - a bit close for comfort as could be seen by one lady who left her perch on the bench beside the trash container into which he peered.

The polish dog was sliding quickly, perhaps from begin hungry, perhaps because my mind was perplexed with the situation and with ideas... The hotdog vendor remained just down at the corner, and the infamous Dog Pit was fifty yards the other direction. I had eleven bucks in my wallet, and my friend wasn't due for another thirty to forty minutes. The springtime sun was still shining.

Upon the final taste of polish dog, bun, and mayo, I startled myself a bit. Rather than being loud, I walked close and quietly asked, "Hey, would you like to get a hotdog?" With his directing, he determined the Dog Pit was his best option.

That look toward my new friend from one person within the Dog Pit was understandable. But today Brian, this guy in the Dog Pit, was just a friend. Today Brian was my brother who was hungry. Today I wasn't my selfish, busy, self-absorbed self. At least not for those thirty minutes.

Today I learned about the life of Brian. And don't make any of the Monty Python jokes. While his life is probably more of a mess than that crazy movie, this is a real life, and now I know a bit of his life. He generously shared and trusted me with it. Today that conversation was holy.

From a total stranger, I know his age, how a fling with crime brought him to Grand Rapids twenty-one years ago, and I know where he lives. I know he has a bed and three meals a day. I know he was 'canning' to get cigarette money. He rolls his own, and he's out of rolling paper and tobacco. Thus, he cans for his vices.

I know about his mom, his dad, his brother, and his case worker. I know he likes hotdogs. I know he likes Raspberry soda. And I think he may even like me.

For thirty minutes I embodied the very best of the gospel. Did I mention he bowed his head before he took his first bite. I didn't have any need to preach with words today. I prayed with eyes wide open as he bowed. Thankful for this moment of sharing food. I forgot to mention it, but I got a Chicago Dog with Tobasco.

Today wasn't about me. Today wasn't me finding a bit of time for another human who wanted to be noticed. Today was about me learning that we need to slow down. We need to take time to see the broken parts of our world and make a real difference. Today was about Brian teaching me. After a handshake and hopes to connect again, I headed for one of my happy places - MadCap.

An hour later, with a dear friend, I mentioned how, if I could hope for one thing, it would be that our society would slow down, take a breath, and notice the world in which we live.

Perhaps I should wish for everyone loving Jesus. But if the church is any indicator, those who follow Jesus are as messed up as those who don't love Jesus. Our rate of divorce is as high as everyone else; our rate of bankruptcy is as high; our rate of most crimes is as high.

But what if we learned to slow down. What if we could literally slow our lives enough to recognize AND move toward public moments of despair? And what if we could recognize AND move toward public moments of rejoicing?

Perhaps then we could say as the Apostle Paul, "Follow me as I follow Christ." Because that kind of life has hope; it has joy; it has love. And it has Jesus Christ. And yet, if we claim a Christ but have not the time to slow our lives, we are only loud mouthed Jesus freaks with nothing for others to hear because we certainly don't have time for 'them.'

All this retold around the table tonight. The same dinner table my grandparents, Andy & Gertrude Buist, gathered around with their kids and grandkids. Now around this table, a table of sharing life, Anna declared, "He'll always be the Hotdog Man!"

Social Justice

2010-03-15T11:23:00.002-04:00

Insidious - the idea that we couch justice for the poor as something differently than for the wealthy. Justice for the upper middle class and above comes in one form. Justice for the lower classes often comes in another form. Since we the upper class love life as we know it, we don't want to really hear that half of our society isn't living like us. So we call it 'social justice,' and we hold it as something that is optional for followers of Jesus.

When we really hear the call of Jesus, we'll use whatever legal means available to seek justice and mercy. After falling in love with African orphans over the past year, I simply don't understand how our hearts, minds, and souls are not fully broken for the things of Jesus Christ?

When we talk about sustainability for the poor, we will not be capable of attaining it without government support of some kind. The poor need safety. The poor need education. The poor need health care. The poor need jobs that will provide food for their families. Without these realities, the church can throw all the money in the world at poverty, but it will end up falling short.

To acknowledge that governments need to work in conjunction with the church, or state it visa vera if you will, is a necessity if we really want to care for the marginalized in our society. There are not other options that will provide sustained hope.

Life-filled & still...

2010-03-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

The house was finally quieting
Two sisters & a brother hate bedtime
It means the end of a day
It means rest, but that's not much fun
So bedtime is a challenge, but it eventually comes
Quiet now. Mom & Dad contemplate the mystery of the quiet
Considering bed themselves.
SHRIEKING PIERCES ALARMING SOUND
My legs hurt mom!
You're growing little one.
Falling asleep on the couch as dad looked on was safe ten hours ago.
Now the morning sun strains through the windows of the old farmhouse
Touching the body of that little nearly four year old
Calling her to another day of aliveness
Until she wakes though
Quiet, Peace, Rest for Dad

Our Dec. of 2009 trip to Karai, Kenya - visiting our orphan friends

2010-03-04T22:54:00.008-05:00

Living something worth believing

2010-03-03T14:05:00.014-05:00

Sleep is fleeting. Images of hungry kids. Images of well fed kids happily living into life. This is my Africa. It seems like moments ago, but it was nearly two months ago.

Images of a giraffe on the plains of the Kenyan Masai Mara. Every inch of its body tight with muscle. An astounding thing of life and beauty. This place on the plains of Africa. So far from home and yet so full of creation. A sense of closeness to the Creator.

A trip that made me feel so alive. And now I’m back. Back to America where life goes so fast. A place where dollars don’t go far, but they are the means of happiness by far.

And faith becomes not so much about feeding the orphaned AIDS kids in the village but a discussion about original sin. What? I wrestle. I cry out. I don’t sleep.

There are moments when life doesn’t make sense at all. I want to cry out for justice. But some friends want to talk about original sin and how we understand it as important for salvation.

I can’t comprehend. I strain into the future. I’m torn between worlds. One being a place where a word is a word. Another a place where we choose how to hold those words. One makes sense. The other seems lost.

For has my salvation come down to how I think in my brain about original sin? Really? Are the neurons of my mind the things that matter to God? To Jesus Christ? For this I hope not.

If this is our salvation, it is no wonder the children of these generations are not seeking God but gods. We speak of truth, but we care mostly for only the agreement of ideas about a God. Do we really care for this thing we call God or do we worship our beliefs about God?

I long to return. To Africa. To Kenya. Where a giraffe gives me an image of the creator God that is more grand that anything I’ve heard in a sermon. Where the plains breathe life and death and renewed life. Where Jesus Christ is my risen God even without any ideas of original sin. Thanks be to God.

Perhaps I can die on those plains and know the God for whom I love. But that too would be selfish. For justice and mercy need to be pursued. And I know of kids who are expecting me to pursue those things on their behalf.

As for original sin, I don’t know, and I’m not sure I care. Had Jesus really cared more about it, perhaps it would have been something of which he taught a great deal. And yet, I can only hear Jesus commands to care for the poor, the orphans, 'the least' in my head.

While I deeply wish I could get this conversation out of my mind, it haunts me. I hear Jesus prayer that we, as his followers, all be one. And yet, sin, our sinfulness, being wrong, being apart from God, being broken, and confessing those sins is so paramount to some of his followers that we entirely miss living into the missio dei, aka ‘the mission of God.’ We entirely miss living into the reality of the kingdom because we’re so busy getting ourselves mentally right with God.

It’s late. I’m exhausted. I live in this quandary. Yet, I know that I know that I know that being ‘right’ isn’t what matters to Yahweh. When I am not lacking sleep, I hear Hebrews, “It was credited to him as righteousness.” Righteousness not being ‘right’ but being obedient to the ways of God... and for some, and particularly one, even death on a cross.

As for sin, how it happened, and how we understand it. Jesus took care of that once and for all. As for orphans that need care, we still have plenty. Perhaps it’s time to really start believing.

two lockers away

2010-02-23T21:29:00.002-05:00

The old man sits two lockers away. Most every day after my workout at the YMCA there he is. We have shared a few words, but today we shared nothing but the same row of lockers.

Today I did not feel much like talking. I should have felt like talking. Today he had just begun to change into his workout wear when I came back from the gym. Today he had ‘long johns’ as grandpa called them. It took him a short eternity to take them off one slow leg at a time.

I kept thinking. I kept wondering why I allowed this kind of silence between us. Yet, today I did not feel much like conversation. And after three or four minutes next to one another I realized. I realized that two people can go through life next to one another, and yet it is entirely possible that their lives never intersect.

It was a sad realization. Knowing that too often we are so self-absorbed. Knowing we fail to reach into the lives of others around us. Today I wanted to talk. I could not.

Tomorrow I will hope for better of myself. I can almost hear Jesus say. Who is your neighbor.

"Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

2010-02-13T14:47:00.001-05:00

from our trip to the Masai Mara in Jan. of 2010...

Evangelical faith in America - Immigrants

2010-02-13T12:14:00.000-05:00

Looking at a Facebook post by a friend this morning, he prompted me to read Ezekiel 47. Yesterday, he got a tattoo on his arm related to this chapter. The chapter concludes with the following verses:

²¹ "You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. ²² You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ²³ In whatever tribe the alien settles, there you are to give him his inheritance," declares the Sovereign LORD.

We certainly need to recognize that America is not Israel, but it seems the biblical text gives us a sense of how we are to treat the foreigners within our midst.

This past week several evangelical theologians from Grand Rapids called attention to perceived theological errors regarding how we understand human nature as it relates to God, most notably original sin.

Much of the evangelical church would categorize immigration reform as left leaning politics or as a social justice issues rather than a theological issue.

From my vantage point, a lack of concern for such an issue as immigration policy suggests that we prefer our faith to be lived within the confines of mental constructs. I wonder how purely theological pursuits apart from life has breath. Can it actually hold life if it does not breathe?

Ezekiel makes it exceedingly clear how we are to treat the aliens among us. It seems helping people live into the challenges of the faith would be a most helpful witness for the church.

With Pen in Hand

2010-02-09T21:48:00.000-05:00

Friday, Jan. 8 of 2010 - from my Masai Mara safari journal entries

“With Pen in Hand”

The Mara is waking as I sit with coffee and my pen. Birds of a hundred different voices and tongues. The river sounds over the rocks. Sunshine beginning to touch greenery that is meant to grow and sustain the lives of others.

Unfortunately Kathy woke with intestinal issues last night; so her sleep was a bit fleeting. Anna and I slept like children with few cares in this world.

We are in Africa -- Kenya to be precise -- where the world slows and life is tasted well. Be it difficult life or good life or a mix of both, tasting life is not an option here. Break-neck speeds of consumption and consumerism have not yet fully gripped this continent. There is something here that is the way God intended life to be.

We only get one chance for the world in our lifetimes, and I wonder how much of mine should be spent right here. Even to this moment with pen in hand, there is a recognition of the transcendent. Abba Father’s creation is alive and breathing into every part of my body, every piece of my hopes and dreams, and filling my doubts with the ongoing exposure of his face.

Convincing the people of God in the West to love and support without also messing with this culture may be a challenge; yet I know of no other way to feed, cloth, and educate these people. Perhaps our challenge is not to raise money for the poor and needy, but it is to learn to love others who are so different from us. Our challenge is a willingness to expand our hopes for God’s creation and billions of his people -- starting with thirty orphaned children in a place far from home.

So I ask, how does this trip to Africa, this experience with beautiful children who have no parents, and this extraordinary Masai Mara change us? A travesty would be for no real change beyond a holiday.

With three of us from my family visiting this year, I hope our lives continue to be transformed --- transformed into lives that love these children and a serious recognition of the resurrection. We hold all the potential to fail in this effort, and yet we also hold all of the possibilities, all of the hopes, and all of the dreams to move toward the kingdom of God.

We when hope for the kingdom, we do not hope for only a future reality of God with his people. We also hope for a current reality for this lifetime that will connect to something concrete, something that makes a real difference in this big universe greater than simply sinners prayers.

Echos of the prophet Micah can be heard to do justice and to love mercy. We hear the words of Jesus to cloth the naked and feed the hungry. Here in Kenya these prophecies are almost audible in the air.

Cries to do to the ‘least of these’ are fully experienced. Cries to chase after the lost lambs as if they matter to all of creation and its creator, and cries to feed and protect the marginalized as if our eternity depends upon it become reality.

We recognize that in the resurrection our disconnect with God is restored. And we recognize that Yahweh God calls us to live as a ‘restoration people’ -- people absolutely convinced that the ways of Jesus, and the entire biblical text upon which he stands -- is in fact the way forward for all humanity.

We are not only a people with the hope for living without end; we are also a people passionately crying out that this gospel is a reality for the here and now. Regrettably, I sense we as followers of Jesus in the West still prefer a gospel that is clean and neat rather than filled with snotty-nosed and orphaned AIDS children.

The evangelical gospel of living happily with Jesus in our suburbia homes along with a categorized understanding of God, is a much less threatening story. Unfortunately, this is also a story that tells nothing compelling to a generation who has experienced virtually all things on the continent.

The idea of real sacrifice for the ways of Jesus could be compelling. But are we really serious about recreating our stories to mirror the biblical text? Are we ready to explore the kingdom for a generation still seeking real purpose for the breaths of their lives?

The best I can do is to continue hoping, dreaming, and living into this reality. Perhaps my kids and a few friends will follow. In reality, the lives of thirty orphaned kids depend upon it. And perhaps even my salvation depends upon it.

Either I live into the reality of my beliefs or I hold nothing but theology argued somewhere on the internet that will never feed, cloth or even save.

set me free

2010-01-27T13:59:00.002-05:00

this songs speaks to our lives as Americans - often bored or disillusioned with our lives...

http://www.last.fm/music/Brett+Dennen/+videos/11147499

(edit) living as missional people... loving the things of Yahweh

2010-01-26T14:19:00.003-05:00

The world of internet media presents challenges for all of us who occasionally believe we have something to say. The post below was a response to a conservative evangelical seminary professor. So, I wrote it thinking in terms of 'liberal' and 'conservative' from the perspective of theology (how we understand God) and not from a political perspective. I've made a few edits as not to confuse -- only to challenge our thinking and the way we live in the presence of God.
_______________________________________________________________
Introduced to the missional conversation via Leslie Newbigin, Craig VanGelder, George Hunsberger, David Bosch, I REALLY wonder about this fear of theological liberalism? I don't entirely 'get' the accusation or even the suggestion for that matter.

This morning I searched all of the Old Testament 'justice' references in the NIV, and it's clear that justice and mercy are central to Yahweh. While the cross and forgiveness of sins is also central, without justice and mercy directing our lives, I'm not convinced we really believe/follow the Jesus who lived, died, and conquered death.

Is it possible that throwing around the term 'liberalism' simply allows us to continue to hold onto our wealth, power, and position over and against identifying and speaking for/to the marginalized on our society?
_______________________________________________________________

* I'll follow up with a response to this post later this week.
~~ Thanks for the comment Brad. You provoked some thinking on my part.

Run as if it matters - because it does.

2010-01-22T01:21:00.002-05:00

Engaging with David LaGrand's campaign for State Senate... He understands restorative justice, and he's also a businessman who understands what it means to run a sound business...

Blog | David LaGrand

www.davidlagrand.com

David LaGrand

a life well lived - Professor Martin Bolt - my college advisor.

2010-01-18T14:18:00.000-05:00

The passing of professor emeritus Martin Bolt

Calvin professor of psychology emeritus Martin Bolt, winner of the 1997 Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching, passed away on December 25, 2009, as a result of cancer. We extend our sympathy and prayers to Martin's family and extended family, including his brother, Robert, professor of history emeritus, his son, Michael, a professor of mathematics, his niece, Lynn Rosendale, a member of communications and marketing, and his nephew, Tim, of physical plant.

For more on Professor Bolt, see the News & Stories information and article or see the Grand Rapids Press obituary, including an online guest book.

potluck for Christmas

2009-12-24T02:43:00.001-05:00

preparing for a trip to my kenyan orphan friends. leaving the day after christmas. today was supposed to be packing day.

started the day with an americano and cinnamon roll along with conversation with a high school friend (and former player), a haircut by my trusted barber of the past twenty-six years, a good sub and then stopping by the home of a cousin. his little sister died unexpectedly at the age of 47 three months ago. he's 53, and today he is struggling. tears. pain. GOD. conversation. trust. around the dining room table. hospitality. friendship. after all - we are family. part of a life spent without pursuing God, but now God is here. God is breathing in this house. Now how does he and his family find room for this breathing and living Spirit in their midst?

another conversation sharing a bit of my cousin's pain and hopes. a dinner with my family. a seven year old son getting nervous about having mom and dad gone for sixteen days. his little sister will need to be looked after, but is he feeling up to the task? insecurity reigns.

off to drop my little orchid flowers at aunt ruth who will take care of them while we are in africa. pick up my friend to go hang out at the pub for the night. stupid conversation. good conversation. intense conversation. tab paid. let us get home to bed.

now. two hours reflecting on the day. God was there. every bit of it. every inch of it. every word of it. do i wonder? do i question this faith? what do i know for certain. even that depends on the day. but this i know.

today was good. today was of God. today was worship. today was brokenness. today was also healing. today was hope filled. God will live another day in my life. God will live another lifetime for this family. today Grandpa would be pleased. God has fulfilled his promise to be with many generations of his people who are faithful. today was good. night.

Great conference to attend

2009-12-14T13:38:00.003-05:00

The Missional Learning Commons is a collaborative day for missional churches to exchange ideas, support, and encouragement about how to incarnate the gospel in their respective contexts. This year our theme is: DEEPER CHURCH: CHURCHES AS WHOLE COMMUNITIES

See the schedule for more details. Also check out the Facebook event to RSVP.

for the love

2009-12-12T04:53:00.002-05:00

Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken. —Rich Mullins

My neighbor? Not mine.

2009-11-30T10:38:00.000-05:00

Had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend. Picked the kids up from school, thanked teachers and administrators as we left the building last Tuesday, and we were off to our five day weekend. There would be no trips to Colorado or Kenya or even the Windy City during this brief vacation. But there would be family time.

Time to lay on the floor playing legos, snuggling on the couch with my three year old just being 'daddy', cheering on ten year olds at a soccer tournament with my daughter's team playing, and time to do a dad & son project for our old farmhouse.

Plus, there was time to simply sleep, waking in the morning without the trumpeter alarm belching out, and having time to say 'good morning' to my wonderful wife before falling out of bed in spite of plenty of sleep. And of course, amazing coffee made each morning by someone in the house. I think the morning fragrance sang out, "the kingdom of God is at hand."

So, my neighbors were primarily my wife and kids this weekend, but it there was also lots of family. Our traditional family gathering is as real as it gets in America. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, yams, cranberries, twenty-seven other hot dishes, and did I mention more turkey.

Then there is the time of thanksgiving, of actually sharing our thankfulness with one another. In spite of little people around the table and painfully stretched stomachs, there was plenty of patience for everyone, all thirty-two of us, to verbally share a a bit of our deeply held thankfulness for the past year.

Following a team effort to clear the table, the ladies mostly stayed in the kitchen to finish the clean up process, and most of the guys headed to the t.v. room to watch our favored Lions get walloped like a whitetail dear being taken down by a Freightliner semi-tractor on the interstate. It happens every year, and needless to say, the deer never wins the encounter. Yet, as native Michiganders we're hoping that some year the oncoming semi chooses to wheel into the median instead of taking us out. For whatever reason, they never seem to have mercy. Sigh. Perhaps someday. Or perhaps not.

As the football games of the day wound down, someone felt compelled to say, "So, how's that Obama thing working out?" Within moments, the conversation had turned to health care. Under her breath, the one friend I had in the room at the moment, said, "You let them get to you." And she was right.

As I got frustrated within 90 seconds and prior to retreating to another room wanting to preserve Thanksgiving, I asked, "Who is our neighbor?"

While the biblical text doesn't directly state that we should provide health insurance for our neighbors, who are our neighbors? On this questions Jesus is unabashedly clear. If you belong to the family of human, you are neighbor.

So, what is our obligation? We can argue against nationalized heath care, and yet we can not argue that we are demanded to care for those without a doctor. The story of the Good Samaritan stares us straight in the eyes. If we dare look the other way, I wonder if we really follow Jesus Christ at all. We can claim a forgiveness of sins, but without compassion for people in our midst, and beyond, we are not following well. This is certain.

We can argue that heath care is for the church, for the diocese to provide, and yet how many of our churches have a doctor or nurse on staff? For all the churches in Greater Grand Rapids, we have hundreds of people sitting in the E.R. every day because they have no access to health care apart from an E.R. visit.

Heath care providing may not be something the government should be leading. But heath care for our neighbors should be a driving force in the lives of people who claim to follow Jesus Christ. If we dare to claim the Christ of the cross as our Lord, we need to bow to the ways of the cross, give up some of our wealth, and find ways to come to terms with the reality that following Jesus means more than being thankful that our sins are forgiven.

It is time we move from being paralyzed because of fear. Fear of becoming a socialist nation. Fear of additional taxes. Fear of losing our competitive edge. Fear has kept us from recognizing that every person within the bounds of our national boundaries is our neighbor. Yet, fear is not what keeps followers of Jesus from following.

In reality, many throughout history have died following. Others have ended up in financial ruins. Still others have had their voices sidelined for speaking of justice and mercy when it wasn't a popular idea. Perhaps this is really our issue today. We simply love our money.

For those who want to follow the Prince of Peace, the Jesus Christ of the gospel, we need to seriously ask, if not me, then who? Who will take care of the least of these if neither I nor my government will do it?

the slippery slope - really?

2009-11-11T12:02:00.002-05:00

we REALLY NEED to get rid of this slippery slope idea. i don’t believe it has any basis within the biblical text. either God’s people are faithful or they are not faithful as they live their lives.

the biblical text is a story of God with his people, and sometimes they really really mess up, and other times they follow the Spirit to the ends of the earth. the Spirit is always in the midst of the story. God is always somewhere even when seeming absent.

the biblical story without trust in the Spirit may be a slippery slope to nowhere (an absence of God is hell — so perhaps that’s where a slippery slope gets you), but Yahweh is always present with his people.

there was no slippery slope for Job nor Abraham nor Joseph or John nor Peter nor Paul… i’ll suggest that a belief of ‘the slippery slope’ declares that we don’t have the hope for God’s continuing story among us…

if the biblical narrative continues with us; if the Spirit of God lives among us as the biblical text tells us, then we don’t need to worry about the next law that comes along as being something that will make our entire story fall into ruins.

telling a different story

2009-11-10T23:51:00.000-05:00

frorm a friend... it is too good not to post here

CHANGE + SOCIETY + STORY

This past Sunday afternoon I had a brilliant phone conversation with my friend Thomas Knoll and he reminded me of this beautiful quote from Ivan Illich. For those of us trying to improvise between tradition and culture, this can serve as a call to re-focus on what really matters — this is especially true for those of us in mainline Protestant denominations.

How do we practice the art of storytelling in the midst of crisis?
How do we practice the art of storytelling in the midst of disagreements?
How do we practice the art of storytelling in the midst of discontinuous change?
How do we practice the art of storytelling in the midst of learning a new cultural language?
How do we practice the art of storytelling in the midst of building up the community?

TIM K. SNYDER :: creative | editor | networker
www.curatingthejourney.org

Time to demand changes for our medical system...

2009-11-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

Following Jesus Christ, we should hear two things loud and clearly: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Yet, when we have the debate about changes that are needed in our medical system, we always revert to our political leanings. We always fear communism or socialism. We automatically hold onto those things more dearly than our neighbors need for being able to see a doctor. We have kids with H1N1 who don't have their own doctor because they cant' afford their own doctor. Sure, they can go to the ER and be seen. That isn't the point. The point is that we hold to our political positions over and against realizing our love for our neighbors should trump all other things in this debate.

Thus, the issues of doctors pay, taxes, who pays, tort reform should all become secondary to caring for our neighbor. We really can't seem to get to the point where 'Love your neighbor as yourself" becomes the driving issue in this debate.

I hear taxes, communism, socialism, taxes, and a hundred other things that keep us from reform. Yet, it should be followers of Jesus who are holding our second commandment front and center.

but it seems that since we don't really know how to change the system, we become immobilized. We don't want to be disloyal to our political roots, and we don't want to be disloyal to our friends, so we don't hold 'Love your neighbor as yourself' front and center.

We are scared of changes in our medical system, but consider this:
~ We allow our parents and grandparents to be covered by Medicare once they are 65 or whenever they qualify. We prefer saving the money to having them continue with their current health care providers. Why is it o.k. for our government to take care of them if we are so opposed to it?

~ Why is our fear of communism or socialism a bigger motivating factor than caring for our neighbor?

~ Why are we continually 'fine' with 10-30% increases in our heath insurance every year. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE!!!

A Prayer for All Saints Eve

2009-11-01T22:25:00.001-05:00

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Christine Sine

God we are surrounded by a cloud

Faithful witnesses who have gone before

Those who have loved where we would have hated

Those who have healed where we would have hurt

Those who have spoken out when we would have remained silent

God may we walk in their footsteps

Learning courage from their sacrifice

May we learn to give so that others may receive

May we learn to love so that others may be set free

May we learn to die so that others might live

God may we join that cloud of faithful witnesses

Treading paths of loving obedience

Leaving footprints that others desire to walk in

God may we too lead kingdom lives

Amen

Shane Claiborne in West Michigan - Nov. 15 & 16

2009-10-25T23:56:00.004-04:00

I'm planning on attending this great day of listening to Shane, others who are attending, and engaging in great conversation. Join me for the day.

Engage in Community: Engage in the World

SHANE CLAIBORNE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009 AT THE GATHERING AT HOPE COLLEGE'S DIMNENT CHAPEL

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009 AT JOURNEY, WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

SCHEDULE FOR SHANE'S VISIT

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Presenter - Shane Claiborne

With tears and laughter, Shane Claiborne unveils the tragic messes we’ve made of our world and the tangible hope that another world is possible. Shane graduated from Eastern University, and did graduate work at Princeton Seminary. His ministry experience is varied, from a 10-week stint working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta, to a year spent serving a wealthy mega-congregation at Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago. Shane is the founding partner of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. Shane writes and travels extensively speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus. He is featured in the DVD series Another World Is Possible and is the author of the several books including The Irresistible Revolution, Jesus for President, and Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers.

a prayer (1)

2009-10-22T18:52:00.001-04:00

borrowed from the London altworship community "Grace".

may the god who is community be with us as we seek to be a community may god bless our dreams and may god shatter our dreams may god help us to be real and to find depth in weakness and brokenness may god help us to face and grow through conflict rather than pretend by being nice may we look at each other through soft eyes and truly respect each other as human beings may god help us let go of control and the need to fix one another may god help us discover we are needy in our own souls and give attention to our own hearts may god grant us the gift of an extraordinary love that flows from the heart of god that covers a multitude of wrongs

Did you know? Capitalism creates its own evils.

2009-10-09T10:36:00.002-04:00

Nobel Peace Prize Also-Rans

From Henry Kissinger to Yasir Arafat, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has made some controversial picks over the years. Here are seven people who that never won the prize, but should have.

BY DAVID KENNER | OCTOBER 7, 2009

KEN SARO-WIWA

PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images

Achievements: Ken Saro-Wiwa was a Nigerian environmental activist and author who led a nonviolent campaign against the environmental degradation occurring in the Niger Delta as the result of crude-oil extraction. A member of the Ogoni indigenous group based in the region, Saro-Wiwa founded the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People to protest the collusion of the Nigerian military regime and the Royal Dutch/Shell oil company at the expense of Ogoni agricultural and fishing lands. He organized peaceful protests against Shell and advocated for the cleanup of the area's environment.

In January 1993, he led 300,000 Ogoni in a march to demand a share of oil revenues and a degree of political autonomy. As Saro-Wiwa's efforts gained publicity, the Nigerian government, dependent on the revenues from Shell's oil extraction, arrested and tried him in a special military tribunal on trumped-up charges and subsequently executed him in 1995. His death triggered international outrage

~~ As followers of Jesus living in America, we often think democracy and the sort of capitalism we embrace is the worlds best choice for both a political and economic system. Yet, if we take these stories seriously, we quickly realize that we create our own atrocities in the name of profits for our investments.

Join us for a trip to Kenya!

2009-10-07T13:04:00.001-04:00

Friends,

You are receiving this email since you showed some interest in joining Kathy, Anna, and me on our excursion to Karai, Kenya this coming December.

So much has been tentative until the past week. Here are some details.

Airline tickets are priced well for the 26th of December. There is a need to stay in Kenya until the second weekend in January if we are looking for good fair rates.

Tickets out of Grand Rapids on the 26th, arriving on the evening of the 27th, with a departure of January 9, are currently running about $1680 (total) -- which is a great rate.

About ten of you have shown interest; I realize not all of you will join us this year. Yet, we would be honored to have you. I guarantee that two weeks in Kenya will change your life forever.

Over the past 48 hours, I have received several emails from our Kenyan friends regarding the trip, and I can't help but get this information forwarded your way. I'm so excited to encourage you to take a huge step in faith!

Tentative Itinerary - this is Africa - so it is always tentative!

Sat. 26th - Fly out today (from wherever you live)

Sun. 27th - Arrive 7:50 p.m. (or whenever you can arrive on the 27th or early morning on the 28th)

~ Stay overnight in the city

Mon. 28th - travel to Karia / rest / spend time with kids

~ dinner with kids / devotions with kids

(devos with the kids each night of our stay -- led by us -- perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the trip)

Tues. 29th - painting of rooms with the kids & adults & purchasing of supplies in Naivasha

Wed. 30th - painting of rooms with the kids and adults / meet with the youth group

Thurs. 31st- evaluation of kids

Fri. 1st - celebration of the New Year!

Sat. 2nd - field trip with kids

Sun. 3rd - worship / lunch / soccer with the kids

Mon. 4th - business meeting / home visits (visiting the relatives of our orphans)

Tues. 5th - business meeting / sheep distribution

Wed. 6th - Visit the schools of the kids / home visits

Thurs. 7th -- safari

Fri. 8th - safari

Sat. 9th - to market in Nairobi / to slum city in Nairobi --- fly out tonight

Sun. 10th - fly home

Trip Costs figured at 4 people...

Overnight in Nairobi for first night - $50/person

Kenyan Visa - $50

Full board=$480 ~ 12/13 x $40/day ~ Staying at the home of our director and his wife. They are amazing hosts; they feed us very well, and they know how to keep us from getting sick!

Airport shuttle - $40/person

Field trip with kids -- paid by Kenya Matters funds

Sheep distribution -- approx. $80/person

Painting of rooms -- paid by Kenya Matters funds

Misc. expenses... approx. $130/person

Transportation... approx. $150/person

Safari -- big question here... $120/person for starters for an amazing day trip to Lake Nakuru Game Park. Masai Mara Game Park could run $300 plus per person.

~ The entire group would not need to be committed to the same option here.

** We are looking at approx. $975 plus safari costs **

* Shots from your local heath department and Passports will also be necessary in preparation of visiting the Karai, Kenya community.

If you get serious about joining us, I would encourage you to contact your friends and family for support. While you will be learning and exploring Kenya, this is a mission trip in the best of the sense.

We are supporting orphans without parents, and we are helping them become productive members of society as they grow into adulthood.

PLEASE let me know if you are still serious about an adventure that will breathe life into your lungs and soul.

I would love to hear from you within the next couple of weeks.

Grace & Peace,

Randy

Fun... the family got interviewed by a G.R. Press reporter

2009-10-06T00:24:00.002-04:00

ArtPrize draws a crowd to Heartside shops

People find hidden treasures in downtown’s ‘outskirts’

BY NARDY BAEZA BICKEL

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

Grand Rapids folk artist Reb Rob- erts has had a gallery on South Divi- sion Avenue for a decade.

But he credits ArtPrize for the doz- ens of people who in the past couple of weeks have made their way to the “outskirts” of the city’s downtown area to check out his brightly colored pictures.

“I’ve had people tell me ‘It’s been 50 years since I’ve walked South Di- vision’,” said Roberts, 54, owner of Sanctuary Folk Arts, 140 S. Division.

“There’s some nostalgia, they have lots of stories to tell. And this, too,

is becoming part of those stories.

“People are redis- covering (the area), finding treasures here.”

ArtPrize continued to draw crowds of people downtown Sunday, and many ventured into Heartside shops.

This was the fourth trip for Randy Buist, 43, who this time came with his wife, Kathy, and their children, Anna, 10, Jaden, 6, and Nadia, 3.

“It’s really exiting. We’ve grown up in West Michigan, and this is the most exciting thing in Grand Rapids in my lifetime,” Buist said.

Agreeing were Joyce and Philip Makinen, who were focusing on checking out South Division near downtown to find new artists.

“It’s been an incredible, exciting

SEE HEARTSIDE, A7

Living into the biblical story

2009-09-29T14:03:00.007-04:00

"Grace & Peace in the name of Jesus Christ" is how I concluded a Facebook message to a Kenyan friend today. I was honored to be able to use those words in the closing of the message.

A handful of years ago I was introduced to several people who then became friends, and they are Catholics. As we conversed, the idea of the biblical text being an open document --- that the story continues to live on and we embody it --- really intrigued me.

Fast forward a few years... sitting on a dock while in Glorietta, New Mexico... I mentioned to Doug Pagitt that we should be able to take the upper hand with the biblical text. By this I meant: For all of those who stand opposed to new things (new for our generation - I am aware that 'nothing is new under the sun.') that are happening within the Church of Jesus Christ in 2009 & beyond, there is no doubt that the biblical text supports our efforts as we are led by the Spirit.

So, the biblical text is not our weapon. It is not something we defend in our attempt to protect God. It is a living and breathing document that calls us into the biblical story. The Apostle Paul writes that the Spirit of God lives within those who find themselves within this story.

And for those who find ourselves within this story as well as within the emerging church happenings, we have no qualms with the biblical text. We live and breathe and have our being with the belief and hope that this story is the story of God among us, the story of Jesus Christ, and we are but a small part of the continuing story of God with his people.

Our qualms are few actually. The viral responses to how the Spirit has led us are not often coming from us. I have yet to find a co-conspirator who will call another follower of Jesus a heretic or even heretical. While we may not agree with our critics, we believe the biblical text: It is not our place to judge the eternal salvation of another. Jesus was plenty clear on this matter. We can choose to submit to Jesus on this issue or not. It is really that simple. Either we ask Jesus to be seated on his left and right, or we allow the Father to determine these matters. Jesus had plenty to say on this sort of questioning.

Perhaps our biggest qualm is that the kingdom message is forgotten or in some cases simply an afterthought within much of American Christianity. When Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God is at hand (aka kingdom of heaven), he wasn't suggesting that we simply follow him to the cross so that our sins would be forgiven as long as we continue to pray for such. When we follow Christ to the cross, we are doing more than having a hope for a life after this one.

If we simply settle on salvation as some esoteric thing that will happen after we get old, get cancer, or get in a terrible accident, we are missing much of the point of the gospel. When we follow Jesus to the cross, we are not simply kneeling in the shadow of the cross; we are acknowledging that Jesus hanging on the cross IS humanity as it is intended to be.

Jesus on the cross is the embodiment of what it means to fully surrender oneself to the ways of God -- to give everything -- to do what the Creator of all things calls us to do. Jesus on the cross followed what was expected of him. This is not to suggest that there is not some sort of atonement also happening with the cross, but that is only part of what is taking place on the cross.

While the disciples did not fully understand what was taking place with the death of Jesus, the moment we take the cross as only a symbol of our salvation that destines us to another future reality, we miss so much. We miss the hope for today, for tomorrow, for messed up drug addicts, people living in tent cities across America because they have no home, and we miss the hope for those who can't call a doctor when necessary.

With the death and resurrection of Jesus, we must realize that something significant has happened... something more significant than simply Jesus Christ again having breath in his lungs. We need to realize the words of Jesus - that the kingdom of God is at hand. While we can talk about and acknowledge that the kingdom is not fully at hand at this time, it is perhaps the gauntlet of the gospel.

Without Jesus proclaiming that a new reality is at hand, we are simply left with a gospel message that offers little hope to the brokenness, emptiness, and pain among God's creation -- pain that lives in the hearts, minds, and bellies of billions of people who populate this planet.

So, let us get to the task at hand and proclaim the gospel with our lives, with our minds, with all that we are and do. Let us speak and write to one another using such language as "grace & peace to you." Let also expect it in return... probably not from our critics, but for this we can also hope; for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Hangin with Karen Ward on Friday...

2009-09-24T23:24:00.003-04:00

starting the weekend right... time with Karen, Nate, Thom, and a handful of other good friends...

Jimmy Carter - the constant voice of wisdom post-presidency

2009-09-16T09:50:00.003-04:00

Carter had some strong, honest, and undoubtedly spot-on thoughts worthy of hearing. It's a two minute read, but it will take much more time to digest if you are so inclined.

Conversation with a heretic & friend

2009-09-15T10:21:00.002-04:00

Thursday, Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.

~Doug Pagitt & Mike Stavlund & friends~

I couldn't help myself with that title since Doug has been labeled such over the past year. Still, he is a good friend, follower of Jesus, and passionate about the kingdom regardless of what others write or say. For those of you who don't know Doug, he can be found all over the web... google.

Mike Stavlund is from the D.C. area. He has helped start several churches; he's an active voice around emergent village, and he is an accomplished writer as well as an amazing father of two great little girls. His blog can be found at http://comingtolife.blogspot.com/

Thoughtful theology

2009-09-13T11:22:00.002-04:00

Interesting how Mitch Albom, one of our planet's greatest sports writers, captures significance for us to ponder:

http://www.freep.com/article/20090913/COL01/909130431/1319/Yell-at-Obama-a-new-low-but-not-the-last

Health Care: A follow up.

2009-09-03T00:44:00.003-04:00

A bunch of new faces/voices showed up on the comments section of my last post. I am honestly honored that you read my blog. I have no idea who you are, but thanks for reading. I recognize that a lot of you don't necessarily agree with me. That's fine, but let me try to clarify at bit as well as push regarding the health care debate.

First, we need change. At the current rate of change of health care costs, it will cost an American family with a $100,000 income $30,000 for health care within the next ten years. Less than 40% of Americans make more than$100,000. Our costs are out of control for health care.

Secondly, as followers of Jesus, let us agree that we should care for our neighbors. We should care for their tooth aches, their stomach pains, and their pre-natal care regardless if they are married or not. We care for life; we care for people; we are followers of Jesus Christ; we honor the God of the creation.

Thirdly, we do not bow down to a political bent. Although all political parties, are interested, our concern is not for either a free-market of a socialist agenda. We are committed to our neighbors; we are committed to Yahweh. Thus, free market nor government sponsored heath care are our primary concern. This is secondary stuff. Both the free market and the government have failed our neighbors.

Fourth, we need a new way of thinking as well as living. For those who are against health care reform, I can only say, "really?" Do we really want to get to a point where 50% of our income goes to our heath care providers? We're already paying nearly as much for heath care as we pay in taxes. For a nation that prides itself on new ideas, invention, creativity, and leading the world, we are either in a coma or parallelized when it comes to fixing this mess. Nobody is willing to lead. AND I suspect it's because way tooo many people are making way too much money to really care.

Some people have suggested that the profit margins of hospitals are small. They are correct, but the infra-structures being built around the hospitals are gigantic. The health care profession is loaded with money and very wealthy health care professionals. There are plenty of people making a million bucks a year in this profession. There are not too many places that you can make the kind of money that the heath care profession provides.

At the end of the day, I am not denying that a lot of these health care providers work hard. So does our President and so does the migrant who is picking your dinner for next week. The President makes less than $200,000, and your veggie picker makes $7 bucks an hour without any benefits. Dont' tell me that the doctor with a second house in the mountains is more deserving. That's bunk. It's also a failure to recognize Jesus question, "Who is my neighbor?"

I'm not saying this is an easy issue, but I am saying this: As followers of Jesus, we should necessarily expect reform of some sort. The health care profession could have chosen to lead the way, but they chose not to do so. Stockholders were happy, or for whatever reason, the idea of re-creating how we think about heath care, was not a priority. Our President has pushed this issue, and it is now a priority. As followers of Jesus, let us lead the way forward. Let us think creatively while also embracing the thought that everyone in this nation is, indeed, my neighbor.

Who is your/my neighbor?

2009-08-17T09:35:00.002-04:00

Health Care Reform: For those of us claiming to be followers of Jesus, we have one question to ask when this highly polarizing issues comes up, and I can think of only one... Who is my neighbor?

We answer this question, and this issue becomes much clearer.

For a great article from someone formerly inside the insurance industry:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/17/potter.health.insurance/index.html

What gives?

2009-08-04T01:22:00.002-04:00

What gives? What do I mean? I have no idea other than a strong lingering thought:

Tonight I'm reading Kevin DeYoung's blog about flying through airports a lot these days. Kevin's written a book about why he's 'not emergent' and another about why he loves the church. And he gets people to fly him all over the country to speak... he's not a great speaker, passionate for sure, but not speaking from within he tradition. He's conservative like 40 & 50 somethings of his tradition... most of those older realize this sort of who-ha-ha doesn't really support nor sustain kingdom life. His own reformed tradition didn't even publish his books. He found a friend in Moody... so what gives?

Walk round d.c. in april - e.v. gathering

2009-06-29T23:37:00.007-04:00

A walk Round DC this morning. Alive to smells n sounds n looks.

Dandelion growing brilliantly hidden between two gates.

Extolling itself with rock on it's left shoulder n cold cement curb on it's right.

Man U futball jersey on my shoulders amidst Latino brothers whom I not know.

All scanning 4 a Creator who could perhaps make sense of it. All of it.

But I wear my colors of Man U, and doubting these r the colors of Latino brothers and recognizing the alienation.

No. This is not how I want it to be.

Well planted pansies flood eyesight.

Draws me away from my tension.

European milk choocolate sweet - pansies.

As one flower they smell to the nose as nothing.

Together en-mass overwhelming.

summer fun!

2009-06-29T01:23:00.002-04:00

creed - by a friend of mine

2009-06-17T00:20:00.002-04:00

We believe in a God who loves.

We believe his loving is inclusive.

He does not keep his love from those who ‘don’t make the grade.

’Nor will he take his love from those who screw up.

We believe in a God who invites.

We believe this invitation is inclusive.

He invites those who ‘don’t make the grade.

’He invites those who aren’t ready to hear the invitation yet.

We believe in a God who creates.

We believe this creation is ongoing.

He has created everything in the present age,

And will create everything in the age to come,

Even as he is creating it now among us.

We believe in a God who restores.

We believe this restoration has happened,

Even as we wait for the restoration to be completed.

We believe that God is King.

We believe he does not need our help to do his work.

We believe that he wants to help us be a part of his work.

Black Eyed Peas preachin it

2009-06-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

12 hopes for the summer

2009-06-16T00:06:00.002-04:00

in no particular order:

1 - eat healthier food

2 - spend time with friends

3 - hang out with my kids bunches

4 - find time to be on the boat waterskiing, barefooting, and teaching my kids to ski

5 - get the vollleyball girls ready for freshman volleyball

6 - enjoy an amazing trip to Colorado - introducing my kids to the Colorado Rockies

7 - immerse myself with Kenya Matters

8 - enjoy each day of the summer because they seem to go by so fast

9 - write more

10 - read more

11 - exercise five days a week

12 - watch Lance Armstrong win Tour de France for another time!

to belong?

2009-06-10T15:49:00.002-04:00

After ten years of being outside the denominational church in West Michigan, life looks a bit different.

Added with that mix, I've found myself in the 'emerging church' conversation for the past ten years as well.

AND... life is so much more honest, so much more kingdom focused, so much less about me, and so much more about others than I had ever dreamed. BUT?

I'm also wondering if my little conservative Hudsonville is ready to re-think what it means to be the church here? I'm just a bit skeptical, and I'm not sure if it is a fair question. Am I leaving my hometown behind, or am I called to help it more faithfully live into the kingdom?

help.

baby has a name...

2009-06-03T12:06:00.005-04:00

For anyone reading... my sister, Marcelyn, had their little one in-waiting slide away from her and her family's life. The previous post was not about Kathy and me, but it still stung [and stings]. Thanks to those of you who have prayed and asked.

_________________________________________

[from Marcelyn]

Byl Baby now has a name. Brennan Di Byl.

Brennan means sorrow and Di is short for the flower Bleeding Heart.

As we discussed names this morning, Adryn found the name quite fitting as he said ‘“Cry Baby” because we have been crying a lot lately about the baby’. So Brennan fits for all of us.

I was walking around the house Tuesday when I was at home with the kids and saw my bleeding heart. It was like my seeing my heart on the outside flourishing with flowers. It was an awestruck gorgeous sight.

to be named

2009-05-20T11:57:00.003-04:00

one child never to be known

one child hoping to be known

where did you go little one

where is that cuddling little child we so desired

where is that suckling of your mother's breasts

we will not know your joy

we celebrate you

we love you

we will remember you

yet we know not your name

mommy - give me a name.

where God?

2009-05-20T11:45:00.003-04:00

pain

anguish

gut wrenching sobbing

a little life has ended much too soon

three children and father and mother cry out

where is the justice of an anticipated child dying

where is this god who calls himself God in this mess

a request for prayer goes out not knowing if it will be honored

overwhelming responses from around the continent

request for prayer turns into corporate tears

a kingdom not yet fully realized

a God of response responds

come quickly Lord Jesus

overwhelming

still pain

we deny the resurrection

2009-05-07T10:03:00.002-04:00

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central the the Christian tradition. By 'Christian,' I mean those who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ much as the twelve disciples of the biblical text chose to follow him.

A recent comment from a previous post suggested that some people within the emergent conversation deny the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. Perhaps some voices do so while also holding to a more mystical understanding of the resurrection. These people get grief - lots of it. Being labeled a heretic isn't something that many people desire for their lives.

For those who make this a HUGE issue, several things are forgotten by them. First, there have been plenty of church fathers who qustioned so many doctrines which are now central to evangelical American Christianity. We now call these people 'church fathers' once they have been dead for centuries.

Secondly, as one friend of mine reminds us: We deny the resurrection every time we see someone without food or clothing or shelter and choose to do nothing.

I've been told that this is not denying the resurrection. Let's be honest thought: It means we are at the very least apathetic to the gospel. We LOVE to point to biblical texts that talk about it being imperative that we believe in a physical resurrection of the Christ. We LOVE to forget Jesus words, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me."

The former belief has become imperative for American Christianity, and the later has become optional. So, why? I dare guess we're as committed to our American lifestyle; so one command is optional and the other is easy in a country that allows open dialogue of faith...

In reality, most pastors in America would end up out of jobs if they started preaching that we needed to care as much for our neighbors as our own needs... all of our neighbors which amounts to several billion people worldwide.

Yea, mental ascent to the physical resurrection is much easier than concerning ourselves with each person created in the image of God.

by faith... and works follow.

2009-05-06T00:45:00.002-04:00

I've heard it said that those in the emerging church hold to a 'works based salvation.' Nope. Not true. At least not anyone whom I've met over the past ten years. We do believe that good works of all sorts, big and small, will flow out of lives committed to being disciples of Jesus Christ. I dare say that many of the critics are scared to death that following Jesus means much more than mental commitment to a risen Lord. It means that we put our political lives, our economic lives, and our social lives on the line each and every day. I'll also suggest that most American evangelicals and their theolgoical defenders want to keep our faith based only on a mental commitment. It makes 'faith' easier and it makes defending 'luke warm' much easier.

back from D.C. - part 2

2009-05-03T21:49:00.003-04:00

Without much of a computer and not enough time to reflect, I still need to capture thoughts from D.C. last weekend. With that said, a good friend of mine wrote a great piece. His thoughts can be read here: http://comingtolife.blogspot.com/

out of the web..

2009-05-03T21:47:00.002-04:00

Got back from D.C. last Sunday night only to find my laptop was no longer in the mood to show anything on its screen... after much pondering, I am now awaiting the arrival of my first Mac... for better or for worse.

away to D.C. - part 1

2009-04-27T01:32:00.003-04:00

Just a few thoughts on my weekend in D.C. with emergent village friends... a group of 24 people who are re-imagining the future of this amazing living organism. ~ I was honored to be with such an extrordinary group of people. ~ Hanging among the clouds on the ninety minute trip home, again I was reminded of how amazing God's people and God's creation really are! They are. ~ While many people wanted to attend, and the process of selecting a small group to attend was deeply flawed, the Spirit isn't flawed. This particulare group of people was extrordinary... oh yea, I said that already... I bettter head to bed. A prayer as I head to bed: Thank you Lord God, Father, Son, and Spirit, for the amazing things that you have done. And for the amazing things that you have yet to do. In Jesus name.

Tony Jones on Belief Net

2009-04-19T23:04:00.002-04:00

Tony Jones wrote a piece that included a reference to my school hallway brawl with Kevin DeYoung a few weeks back. Here is the link to Tony's post which I find honest and accurate: http://blog.beliefnet.com/tonyjones/2009/04/calling-kevin-deyoung-to-account_comments.html

how do we live?

2009-04-19T21:58:00.003-04:00

Committed to the ways of Jesus Christ, and also aware that we only know bits about our God, I have questions for this day. The questions involved the evangelical idea that we can 'know God.' I realize this is an over-statement. In reality, we can know things about God but not fully know God. In turn, some voices challenging our rethinking of church and following Jesus, propose that following Jesus can not stand apart from propositional truth. My questions: What is propositional truth? What does it even mean within the context of faith? If God is fully knowable, then faith isn't faith. Instead, God is something to be proven like a complext math or chemistry equation. The idea of propositional truth within conversations about faith seem entirely out of place... We know God thru the Spirit that dwells within us. We know God through the community of believers, often referred to as "the people of God" within the biblical text. We know God thru the biblical text. To suggest that we know God thru propositonal truth that stands within the biblical text but not within the church nor the believer, we make the position of the church as well as the moving of the Spirit secondary to the text. One could even suggest the biblical text becomes primary to knowing God. Yet, the biblical text doesn't point us in this direction. It almost always points us toward the Spirit and the community of believers when it comes to affirming our faith. Back to propositional truth... my wife is a chemical engineer, and A+B somtimes equals C. Sometimes they do not. So, if this is the case with chemistry, how is it the case with a living and breathing God?

Arguing about stupid stuff...

2009-04-15T09:30:00.006-04:00

Read this facebook update this morning from a fifty-something guy... a great blue collar guy who loves Jesus... one grandchild and two on the way... had three of his kids in youth group back in the day... "not news we wanted or expected the tumer in my kidney has grown, the lympnodes in my chest are showing activety. he (doctor) is a little concerned as to how that is affecting the bone cancer. changed my chemo to the one released last monday but did not get it yet from the manufacturer. should be this week. now hoping the va will pay for it cause its so new and cost about 3-4 thousand a month." Brokenness abounds. Yet, brothers and sisters in Christ (myself included) are arguing about stupid stuff that we will never fully understand (i.e. how and why the atonement works). All the while we neglect the ministry of reconciliation. Brokenness abounds, and yet we throw rocks at one another claiming our particular beliefs on salvation are the only correct ones. I John 4:2 reads: "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." So, how do we dare add things to that simple list left for us by John, the one Jesus calls 'beloved'? Some argue that we need to hold to the penal substitutionary theory of atonement to be 'Christians.' If this is the case, what are the rest of the faithful called? Frankly, I know this: We are called to the ministry of reconciliation. My friend has cancer and is likely dieing. People are dieing around this world for lack of food and water and health care. Let's get real, and be faithful to the gospel. Perhaps we need to forget about being 'right' and instead be 'righteoues' by wrapping our arms around a world in need of God's goodness, grace, and love. For only these three things remain in the end: Faith, hope, and love.

Why being 'right' isn't righteous.

2009-04-14T01:29:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine recently suggested that 'emergent' believers of Jesus don't hold being 'right' a high value. On the other hand, many followers of Jesus think it's imperative that we are 'right' about the things of our faith. I have some questions about being absolutely right: ~ How do we know if we are absolutely right? ~ Even if we are right, what is the cost of being right? ~ Is being right a higher value than our love for God and our love for our neighbor? If being right is of higher value than living at peace with our neighbor, then we don't really take Jesus command to love our neighbor seriously. In I John 4, the disciple closest the the heart of Jesus writes, "7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." The text is clear that we are required to love one another and not simpy love God. Thus, it's not really an option if we are to love our neighbor. So, can being 'right' really be a value that is of more importance than loving our neighbor? Perhaps being 'right' is a value assigned to our faith by the reformation more than the biblical text.

we believe in the resurrection

2009-04-06T10:00:00.003-04:00

Writen by a very good friend as well as an amazing theologian... Joel McClure Since it is Holy Week, I figured it worthy of pulling out. We believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. We don't just believe that the resurrection happened. We don't just believe things about the resurrection of Jesus. We believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. In a world where it appears that death wins, where violence, murder, disease, and terrorists might cause us to fear and lose heart, we say that we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. We say that there is a power beyond our understanding that is able to give life back to those who've lost it. And not metaphorical life, but real, actual, fish-eating, hand-touching, word-speaking, bread-breaking, sitting down at the table life. Keep reading here.

a God of faithfulness...

2009-04-05T15:46:00.007-04:00

Palm Sunday with great friends gathering around our kitchen table. The same table that stood in my grandparents home. The same table where I ate many great peanut cookies as well as mashed potatoes and beef roasts. The same table where grandma always invited us to for our annual Christmas cookie decorating. Real gingerbread for some of those cookies. The same table where I learned reverence during the reading of the Bible and during grandpa's very, very long prayers. More than once I was scolded for opening my eyes, giggling, or sipping my drink. The same table now stands in our kitchen. The same table calls us into constant faithfulness to the same God. This morning, on this Palm Sunday, great friends gathered. All are hoping and dreaming and living into faithfulness and righteousness. All of them embrace a 'baptised life' in heart, soul, mind, and strength. At the end of several battling weeks, I hope Holy Week is a reprise for eight days. After Scripture reading, song, and the breaking of bread together, there is no doubt that God's faithfulness continues on to the generations. My grandparent's hopes and dreams are honored and continue to live. So, to the critics of my frineds and of me, today I only say, "You know not of the things of which you speak." I may not always be sure of all things about God. I may care more about living a baptised life than determining whether infant or believers baptism is more correct. I may not always know, but I do know this: God is near.

Slow to anger...

2009-04-03T11:22:00.007-04:00

The past week has been frustrating on one front. I've chosen to engage various conservative voices regarding the 'emerging church.' Two quick thoughts this morning: 1 - I enjoy the intellectual excercise. Thirteen years of Christian day school, five years of a great liberal arts college founded on Calvin's theology, and three years of seminary make for a good biblical background. So, I enjoy interacting with the biblical text as perceived by others. 2 - Perhaps this bantering isn't healthy at all. I was just reminded of the biblical text... "For he (God) is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness." I get angry at people who quickly make determinations about the eternal well-being of my friends. i.e. Kevin's words last week: "Doug Pagitt, who is in no recognizable way a Christian..." When very frustrated and equally angry, the idea of 'abundant in lovingkindness' is forgotten by me. The idea of both 'slow to anger' and 'abundant in lovingkindness' is nearly impossible for us humans to pursue well. Yet, if we are to follow the God we love, if we are going do more than admire God intellectually, then being 'slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness' are more righteous than being intellectually right in our heads... A read thru Hebrews 11 reminds me again that the faithful live differently than others. Righteousness comes at a price; it excludes throwing sticks and stones as our primary way of interacting with others. Kevin condemned a good friend with whom I've broken bread and shared wine, received and shown hospitality, and with whom I have shared in the body and blood of Christ. So, when you tell me that a friend of mine is not a recongizalbe follower of Jesus, you also question the God of the Scriptures.... and you make me more than a bit agitated. In turn, my family ends up living among my frustration. This is why I question if it is healthy for me to engage.

want to really 'act'?

2009-04-02T23:43:00.006-04:00

Looking for some generosity: KenyaMatters.org is looking for some people who might be socially conscious and want to make a difference. We have some projects that need attention in Karia, Kenya where we are helping fund an orphanage and community development projects. We have two projects that I want to see funded by the end of April. 1 - Looking for people to donate dollars for mosquito nets for our 30 orphan kids. $10 is enough to buy a treated net as well as installation of that net. So, this will cost $300 bucks total. Any and all donations are appreciated. 2 - We have a micro-business that we are hoping to fund. It is an animal husbandry project involving rabbits. This project looks to be sustainable, and it will give employment to a handful of young people who have graduted from high school but are unemployed. This project will cost a total of $1500. If you are interested in helping with this effort, I would love to talk more...

http://kenyamatters.blogspot.com/ to donate!

Grace & Peace.

justice conference in G.R.

2009-04-02T18:13:00.002-04:00

From two great friends in Grand Rapids! Hello Beloved Family and Friends: Jayne & I wanted to invite you to a justice conference that is being puttogether by a group we are involved with. It is going to be on April 18at Oakdale Park CRC near Hall and Kalamazoo. I think we have a greatline up of speakers focusing on timely issues...If this is something youcan forward to your friends/network, please feel free to share withanyone you think would be interested. We are hoping to get a fullhouse! So here is the line up, with a link to our website. You can registeronline - $10 covers lunch and can be pd at the door too. We're trying to firm up the numbers, so if you can register this week it would be helpful! Child care is provided for the morning (register early for this!). Keynote: * Jonathan Bradford, President/CEO of ICCF speaking on "FindingHope in the Foreclosure Crisis" Breakouts:* ICCF will also do a breakout session on how a church can respondif one of its members is facing foreclosure * Kurt VerBeek (live video feed -hopefully - from Honduras)President of Association for a More Just Society. Case study on landreform in Honduras. * Kojo Quartey elder at a local African Church, board member for CR World Missions. Dean of the School of Business at DavenportUniversity, featured in the local media will comment on the globalimpact of international economic crisis, particularly in developingcountries. * Dave Allen (GR Public School Board) will discuss the impact ofthis economy on our local urban schools* Tim and Sharon VanderKodde, Jotham and Marie Ippel, Bruce Boman,- panel on intentional housing choices and the opportunity to do justicethrough where you live. * Kate Kooyman, CRC office of social justice and the MichiganOrganizing Project on the impact of this economy on local immigrantpopulations. * Darrell and Missy Jackson, Bean By Bean Coffee, Local couple andparents of 3 kids under age 6, running a fair trade coffee business outof their basement in Hudsonville, and the relationships they have beenable to build with the farmers they buy from in Guatemala. * Trillium Haven Farms and Mud Lake Farms - Consumer choices,buying locally.Register at: www.justiceinthiseconomy.comWe would love to see you there. Again, please pass this along to anyoneyou think would be interested! Thanks, Keith (and Jayne) Ver Beek kjaverbeek@juno.com

took a stand for the ways of Jesus... hope Jesus still loves integrity & honesty

2009-03-26T23:31:00.004-04:00

Attended a lecture at Calvin Seminary tonight: Kevin DeYoung, of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, co-authored a book entitled “Why I am not Emergent but should be.” I was hoping to hear some good scholarly thoughts. That didn't happen. Instead, I ended up interrupting his closing remarks. When hearing something like “Doug Pagitt is a heretic and doesn’t know Jesus” hit my cerebellum, my very audible response was “Excuse me.” The ensuing battle was honest to the Jesus that I know… A few of the issues of tonight were not ‘what is wrong with emergent.’ No. (pause please) I’ve lived in this reformed world for my entire life. I'm a graduate of Christian day school, Calvin College, and Calvin Seminary. I’ve also found the ways of Jesus strikingly profound among those who call themselves ‘emergent.’ Kevin has a desire for his message to be heard, but let’s be entirely honest. Kevin is also a neo-conservative reformed guy. And his message is not so much about emergent. Emergent has simply become a good platform for him to spout some lousy theology and tell us about how preaching will be the saving grace of the church. Tonight I got angry. I probably embarrassed a few friends who were present. If you are my friend and love Jesus, I would have also spoken up for you. While I was angry, I have no doubt that I honored God for a few minutes as well. While Kevin speaks so highly of the cross being central to salvation, I struck by words that were not honoring nor even honest throughout the night. Just for a primer: “Shane Claiborne doesn’t understand reconciliation.” Yea. Put that into your mind for three seconds. Need I say more? If you happen to not know Shane Claiborne: he is living in perhaps the most dangerous and impoverished section of one of our nation’s cities. He lives and breathes and speaks the gospel every moment that he is awake. With closing remarks that informed several hundred people that this friend of mine doesn’t know Jesus, I had heard enough. I know Doug. I know his amazing wife as a friend as well. I’ve met several of his great kids. I also know his theology may challenge and push me and others. But that gives us no right to claim that he is outside of God’s grace. Only God has that right. I also know that Doug is honest and has integrity. Tonight I heard from someone who lacks both. But never will I question if he is saved. That is always and only God's place. More later about what’s wrong with Kevin’s theology… a primer… no mention tonight of the kingdom of God as current reality?

party for 'beppe'

2009-03-25T01:39:00.002-04:00

On Sunday morning around 3 a.m., Christine Voetberg, 97 years of age left her body for another time and place. She was the grandmother to my wife Kathy, and she was the great-grandmother to my three kids. We celebrate her life! Here is a conversation that took place between Kathy & Jaden (age 6) on Sunday night. Jaden: Mom, do I have school tomorrow (He usually asks the same question every night). Me: Yes, you do. Long pause, followed by a frustrated voice. Jaden: uhhh, why do I have to miss school on Thursday!! (Pause) For Beppe’s party!! Unfortunately, I immediately tried to tell him that it was a funeral we were going to, not Beppe’s party. As I was awkwardly trying to explain it, it sounded all wrong. Me: You’re right Jaden, it will be like a party. What are we going to celebrate? Jaden: Beppe Then he asked all kinds of questions about when we had to be there and if he could still go to school for awhile. In typical Jaden style, the burial fascinated him. Here are a few more of his questions? Where are we going to put her? What’s a cemetery? How is the world do they dig that huge hole? How do they put her in that hole? I know I’m asking a lot of questions, but who makes the equipment that digs the hole and puts her in it? What will her body look like? Anna also ended up in the conversation. In the end, we all agreed that Thursday would indeed be going to Beppe’s party to celebrate her, and that she is with Jesus. I think Jaden will be quite observant at the burial. See ya Thursday for the party, Kathy

thoughts on what it means to be 'emergent'

2009-03-15T02:45:00.002-04:00

I've been pushing against Mike Wittmer of GRTS lately. I have no dobt he's a good guy, but he loves to take on my friends all while calling himself a friend of emergent. Here's my response to something he wrote: randy buist Mike, I just read thru your post and all the comments again after thinking about it most of the day. While you don’t want to make this a personal thing, your entire post is ridicule of Tony. I would hope we could argue against Tony’s position rather than attack Tony, but you really only question his faith rather than his position. Much of the point of being a friend of emergent stuff is being in friendship even when we disagree. Trusting that God is at work in another’s life even when we disagree with them. So, we often fail to arrive at the same conclusion because we know it’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is Christian friendship — knowing that we will often end up at different positions and still knowing one of us is likely more correct than the other. BUT being right isn’t the most important thing. Perhaps it is in theology, but it isn’t in real life. Being ‘right’ ends marriages. Being ‘right’ ends friendships and ends familial relationships. Being right creates wars and never peace. When Jesus prayed that ‘they be one as we are one’, I doubt that he was kidding. Real friendships trust that being ‘right’ is secondary to knowing that you are moving in relationship with your friend. On the other hand, being right divides and ends relationships. It may be one person is more correct, but it seems this wasn’t the prayer for the Ephesians. Rather, the prayer was for unity among believers. Perhaps a fair question for the night: Is being ‘right’ with an understanding of original sin of more valuable than friendship with others who see aspects of God differently? Perhaps being ‘right’ is more important, but then we ALSO disagree with God regarding being in unity with fellow believers. In which case, being ‘right’ at the expense of Christian unity also leads to being directly in opposition to God.

emergent what?

2009-03-09T01:55:00.004-04:00

I'm tired of fighting evangelical Christians when I state that I'm an emergent guy. I'm tired of attempting to explain things while knowing I won't be believed anyway. Face value doesnt' seem to be enough when you are an 'emergent' type. Here are a few things that I believe set much of the emergent family apart from where we've come from: 1 - We cling to a more robust theology of the Holy Spirit than most of our evangelical geneology. ~ We believe the Holy Spirit is active alongside our lives! 2 - Life is theology. ~ Leslie Newbigin stated that the hermeneutic of the gospel was the community of believers. In other words, our understanding of God is shaped in real life. It isn't simply shaped by our thoughts. 3 - The starting point of the Christian faith is the ministry of reconcilation. God desires to reconcile all of his creation to himself. As followers of Jesus, we become partners in reconciliation. From attempts at getting the Israelites to follow Yahweh to the life of Christ and onward through the New Testament, the story of God with his people is a story of restoring and bringing togather broken relationships. So, why do these three scare church-going evangelical followers of Jesus?

Your Invitation!

2009-02-11T01:10:00.006-05:00

Join us for a great night of our first ever Kenya Matters wine tasting fundraiser! Read more info and/or buy a ticket here: http://kenyamatters.blogspot.com/ PLEASE consider this! Please.

a renewed passion

2009-02-10T00:22:00.002-05:00

December was an amazing month as I took a trip to Kenya. A friend had started a community development project in a poverty stricken rural area of the country, and for whatever reason I was compelled to go with him on a visit. Now back in the States for a couple of months, I am finding a renewed urgency to live into the kingdom of God... this project is consuming me, and I am absolutely loving the work. If you happen to read this post and dare to have your life rebuilt, consider engaging with kenya matters... http://KenyaMatters.org and http://KenyaMatters.blogspot.com We'll be taking a couple of trips to Kenya in '09, and we would love to have you along. The first trip will be in late August, and the second will be in December... likely leaving around the 10th of the month...

great guy coming to G.R....

2008-10-29T12:50:00.000-04:00

Pete Rollins will be joining emergent west michigan for a conversation on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m - noon. Put it on your calendars now! http://www.peterrollins.net/ We must avoid confusion between remaining silent and saying nothing. For while the former is passive the latter is active. By saying nothing we endeavour to speak of that which manifests in our world as a no-thing, as an absolute mystery which infuses our world with light and life. To undergo and then speak of that which is not a thing but which transforms our relationship with all things… this is a sacred and subversive vocation. Here you will find my own fragile, failing attempts to be a mouthpiece for that transformative silence. 10 a.m. at The Urban Mill --- more info. coming later this week...

more than what it seems...

2008-09-26T23:40:00.001-04:00

a thoughful piece from a friend: http://willzhead.typepad.com/willzhead/2008/09/pro-life-and-pr.html?cid=131669426#comment-131669426

debate tonight

2008-09-26T21:46:00.002-04:00

For anyone out there... Regardless of your political persuasion, why is Mr. John McCain so belittling to Mr. Barack Obama? Or -- how do you hold integrity and belittle someone so much?

Do the ends really justify the means?

2008-09-09T12:41:00.009-04:00

Do words matter? My grandparents were farmers and intentional followers of Jesus. Words mattered. People mattered. Integrity mattered. Today we are listening to a barrage of political television infomercials. One candidate claims that words matter. Images of grandmother threatening to wash my mouth with soap are invoked. I don't believe she ever carried out that threat, but the threat was enough to know that my words mattered. For those who follow Jesus, the biblical text refernces how we are to speak and act toward our neighbors time and time and time. We are reminded that to care for our neighbors is to care for the things that are near to God. Another candidate, the choice of many people who follow Jesus, hired some of the best character assasins to run his campaign. By their own admonition, this is their job for the next two months. We are told they have adopted these tactics in order to win. After all, the conservative platform holds many of the things near and dear to evangelicals in America. But, I recall growing up in the farmlands of Beaverdam. I recall a hard day of work as a twelve year old, and I remember words from my grandmother - reminding me that I needed to treat people with respect and dignity. She demanded that my life became such - not only my words. She demanded that the very depths of my being be founded upon the belief that other people mattered. My words and actions were not about myself. They needed to be about the Jesus who she followed if I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Today we are faced with two candidates. One may hold to traditional evangelical values in theory. Yet, he's placed winning a campaign ahead of those values. The real values of a person always come through when the going gets tough, when important things are on the line. And one candidate has chosen to respect the life and accomplishments of his opponent. The other has chosen to win by belittling. While we can claim that abortion matters, and it does, the reality exists that McCain can not guarantee that Roe v Wade will be overturned nor can he guarantee that we will be safe nor that we will eradicate evil from the earth. McCain could choose the things immediate to his values. He could choose to recognize his opponent as a brilliant scholar, accomplished law professor, and committed father. Yet, he's chosen toe attack Barack on nearly every front. Don't let it be forgotten that he hired the nation's best character assasins to run his campaign. His current campaign leadership openly admits that their entire goal is to make Barack look badly by attacking him on nearly every front. Perhaps this is politics, but thus far it hasn't been the politics of Barack Obama. The words of Barack Obama and John McCain speak volumes. If we can actually seperate ourselves from ALL of the issues, we experience one man who is running for the presidency with his character intact. His values are intact. His love for people is intact. McCain has sacrificed nearly everything for the purpose of a victory. The end game justifies the maean in his scenario. Words don't really matter. At the end of the day, Obama has shown respect and even admiration for his opponent. He has lived into his call to be a person with integrity -- the same calling we hear in the biblical text -- the same calling of Jesus upon his disciples. At the end of the day, McCain has show disdain and a willingness to say anything for a victory. His words on the campaign fail the biblical text. While we can talk about the issues, a person with integrity should appeal to sincere followers of Jesus. At the same time, we should be taken back by someone who shouts out, "They are only words." I know my Jesus loving grandmother cared about words. Why do they no longer matter to so many of us who claim to follow Jesus? Or at the least, they no longer matter when they come out of the mouth of 'our candidate.' How can we justify such a thing? Perhaps we have come to follow a Jesus who is convenient to our lifestyle, pocketbook, and politics. Words still matter - at least when we claim to be followers of Jesus.

When war becomes our peace.

2008-04-04T12:26:00.003-04:00

On a day when many Americans, I suspet mostly black, will pause. .decades ago on that Memphis hotel balcony Martin Luther King Jr. stood joking with good friends. .a second later his life had ended. his hopes particular to his lifetime had ended. .growing up white in America I had plenty of friends tell me of how he was a Communist. .now I pause and feel too torn up to weap. my Christian friends acutally beleived this man of hope, this man of dreams of goodness and righteousness was a Communist. .what peace some people felt to know he was dead. what peace we have known to know Saddam is dead. .no. we know. but we know no peace. we know wars. we know death. .when our hopes and dreams are replaced with wars - then we know we have not become much of what we are meant to become -- people reflecting the face of God.