Dreams Unlocked

I will never forget this past Easter. The day started with an early breakfast at my church (7 AM). I joked that I wasn't sure even Jesus rose from the grave before 7 AM. The breakfast was followed by 2 church services. I read scripture in the first one and prayed int he second one. I left the second service early to go to Cornell University. Every Easter all the Christian clubs on campus organize an event called "Easter on the Quad". This is a service of worship, testimony and a presentation of the gospel. I was invited to give the message this year. So, Felicia and the 3 kids and I headed up to the University. It was a beautiful sunny day. There appeared to be about 100 students preparing for the event, setting up chairs, hooking up the sound system, a worship team was practicing. I introduced myself to a couple of the organizers. I then told them I was going to play catch with my son until the start time got closer. Adam and I headed over to a piece of green a...

Some time ago a friend on Facebook asked me to explain what I believe as a Christian. This is what I wrote: I believe in God. I believe there is a Divine Being greater than the natural world who contains within himself all the properties of love and power. All that exists was created by him and for him. Human beings were created by God. We were created with the freedom to follow or reject him. Following God means believing what he has revealed about himself, and then acting on that data. Rejecting God means using our own lives and thoughts as the datum by which we live. I believe that the “evidence” of God comes to us in three ways. Creation itself leads me to believe in a Creator. When I look at the complexity, the intricacy and the sheer vastness of the created order – I simply cannot accept the idea that time+chance+matter somehow simply spat  out everything from spinning planets to carpenter bees. It’s too unbelievable t...

We are currently under a deluge of faith based films. I wouldn't call it a religious revival. More like Hollywood coming to the obvious realization that there are a lot of religious people in America who will pay money to go watch religious based films. Let me see if I can list all the religious films released or about to be released: Son of God Noah God's Not Dead Heaven is For Real Exodus: Gods and Kings Mary I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that came to mind right away. Out of these I have already seen Son of God and Noah. The only other one I will probably see is Exodus. Son of god was a fairly well done film on the life of Jesus. It was marketed heavily to churches and churches responded by buying out entire theaters and doing follow up bible studies and sermon series based on the film. (Our church did this). I think attempts were made to do the same thing with Noah. But there was not that strong of a response. And after seeing the...

3 New Ithacans On March 25 2013, Felicia, Adam, Sophia, James and I got into our beloved Honda Odyssey and started off on our own odyssey towards Ithaca New York. Funnily Homer also headed off to Ithaca on his own Odyssey! Ours had far less perils and dangers. We arrived on April 2 2013. So one year has passed. Our first year as displaced West Coast Canadians now living in a well known college town in upstate New York. How's it been? Well, I'm glad I asked. Spring was a nice time arrive as the town is thawing out of winter. We were able to take advantage of many of the scenic state parks and hiking trails. Although not as beautiful as the land we left behind, it was still quite nice to be able to escape into nature when we felt like it. The summer was a nice slow ease into understanding the culture of Ithaca as well as observing the ministry patterns of the new church I was called to serve. Bethel Grove Bible Church is a small-medium sized church - around 35...

Fred Phelps has died. Phelps was a former lawyer turned pastor. For some reason he managed to transform the Christian God from a benevolent Deity to some gross hateful monster. His weird church "Westboro Baptist" managed to garner global fame, despite only having a handful of members, all related to each other and living on a joyless campus in Kansas. Their fame came largely through the garish posters they would hoist outside funerals of celebrities or army veterans. These signs contained some of the most vulgar language I have ever read. They all followed the line that basically God hates everybody, especially homosexuals. I never really studied why or how Phelps went down such a strange route in his life. What I do know is his idiocy made it very difficult for true followers of Jesus to present the truth of the gospel. God doesn't hate homosexuals. God doesn't hate America. If there is anything we can know about God it is that his primal characteri...

Every once in awhile a blog post pops up, inciting a lot of tweeting and Facebook posting with a lot of follow up comments. Here's the latest: http://www.christenacleveland.com/2014/03/urban-church-plantations/ Writer and speaker Christen Cleveland has done the church in America a great service - she has pointed out a major blind spot among well resourced suburban churches. In her post she points out that in cities experiencing or attempting to resuscitate urban renewal, suburban pastors come rushing in to plant their franchise of ministry. In doing so they run roughshod over existing ministries and urban saints that have been laboring for years. This exact same thing happens in the world of global missions. When well meaning, but completely ignorant mission agencies comes to "evangelize" a nation with complete and total disregard of national ministries. Cleveland gives an example of a white pastor who has planted an inner city church and makes the statement: ...

I disagree with him on some stuff but this is pretty good. John Piper's advice to pastor's concerning money: Get a car that works; that gets you where you need to go.  I'm talking about a modest entertainment budget that doesn't eat out every night.  I'm talking about a refreshing vacation, not an exorbitant one.  I'm talking about clothes that are unremarkable and undistracting, both for not being shabby and not being brand driven.  I'm talking about a home that accomplishes your family and ministry purposes leaning towards ordinary folks in your congregation, not the wealthiest.

I just wrapped up the busiest 5 days of ministry in my life. Here's a snap-shot: Thursday - Son of God Special Screening Our church participated in a theater "take-over" of the film Son of God. I organized the whole thing, along with the upcoming campaign of small group discussions and sermon series. It was a rather exhausting endeavor - but was well worth doing. We sold out 200 tickets with 30-40% of the attendees being guests (not regular attendees of our church). I introduced the film and prayed before it started and then wrapped it up at the end. Very positive response from all those who attended. Friday-Saturday - I travelled to a Bible Camp somewhere near Cortland NY. I spoke to a group of International graduate students from Cornell. There was 10 nations represented from Singapore to Eritrea, Wales and South Korea. I love this group - I've spoken at their Friday meetings in the past. I spoke Friday night and then twice Saturday AM. I headed home e...

Avalon Alliance Church in Saskatoon Saskatchewan. The church I attended from 1976-1993. I like Donald Miller. I've read three of his books and they were very good. He seemed to have hit a nerve with dis-affected evangelical young adults. And he's done some good things with his influence. But, I disagree with him in his recent blog post. So, here is my point by point response as to why I disagree. It seems that for Miller if you do not connect with God through the medium of the local church, you should jettison it and discover the way you do connect with God. For him, this is teaching and building his company. I wonder why he has reduced the function of church to simply an individual's connecting with God. I believe the church consists of much more than that: worship, teaching, service, community, fellowship, evangelism. Is Miller finding all of these things as he teaches and builds his company? I hope so. Miller thinks its great people love their chur...

Worship band playing before the service. Redeemer Presbyterian Church This is a continuation of the last post. Redeemer Presbyterian Church purchased a parking garage on the Upper West SIde of Manhattan. Over a number of years they renovated it into a worship and office space. Knowing the price of commercial real estate in NYC, this was quite a coup for the church. The resulting building is a narrow sleek building that blends in nicely to the chic surroundings. When we went, I was quite surprised at how slim the building is. Instead of building out as most churches would, they had to build up - 5 stories up. The entry level is actually the balcony of the sanctuary. You go down some stairs to get to the main level. the sanctuary is quite small - I imagine that my church here in Ithaca would actually seat more people. The design is quite minimalistic and sleek. It looks more like a contemporary concert hall than a church. The kids programs were on the third floor, so I ...

Entry to Redeemer Presbyterian Church  West 83rd in New York City. This past Sunday we had the opportunity of attending a worship service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Redeemer is a fairly well known church throughout American Christianity (and likely on farther shores, now). Their fame is due to their growth to 7000 people attending one of multiple services at 3 different sites across Manhattan. Somehow they have managed to plant and sustain a vibrant growing dynamic congregation in a very complex and challenging city. Along with their growth is the remarkable gifts of their lead pastor, Timothy Keller. I first heard of Keller in the early 00's when we were attempting to church plant in downtown Vancouver. I read one of the earliest drafts of his church planting manual - which is still one of the best resources for church planters or anyone wanting to minister in a global city. Soon, I discovered his sermons - there are several...

Waiting for our train in the subway station. We are in New York City this weekend - soaking in the Christmas lights and decorations. We are staying right in the heart of things - a few blocks off Times Square. This afternoon we skated in the famed Rockefeller Center skating rink. It's quite an iconic rink - right in front of 30 Rockefeller - where 30 Rock, SNL and many other shows are taped. The cast of Saturday Night Live always skate there after the Christmas show - which might be this Saturday! NYC is quite a shock to the system. We only had to drive a couple of blocks after emerging out of the Lincoln Tunnel - but I couldn't figure out why everyone was honking so much - it wasn't much different than driving in Delhi! We walked about 20 minutes to get to the rink - it is amazingly disorienting seeing the mad riot of people and vehicles all rushing back and forth - a crazed kaleidoscope of color and noise … and smells - whoa, there is some rank smelling spot...

In 1983 I saw a photograph that deeply moved me. Two men sitting in a stark cell. One man wearing sneakers, jeans and a blue sweatshirt. The other man dressed all in white, belying his angelic presence Pope John Paul visited the man who had earlier attempted to assassinate him He held the hand that had previously held a gun aimed at him. Stunning, moving, heart-breaking. The power of love and forgiveness. And now 30 years later, I come across another picture that draws out similar feelings of pathos. It again includes a pope and a man also exiled by society. Pope Francis is embracing a severely disfigured man suffering from neurofibromatosis. This ailment leaves the patient covered in large disfiguring tumors. The result is a grotesque distortion of normal human facial features. Most of us would avert our gaze away from such a man, and then perhaps steal furtive glances to satisfy our curiosity. Instead the Pope see, moves, embraces and blesses. See the man. He i...

I am preaching tomorrow on 2 Cor. 6. In this chapter Paul tells the Corinthian church that he has opened up his heart to them, and he want them to "open wide their hearts" also. He is wanting to forge stronger relational ties with this church but their shielded hearts are preventing this. So, part of my sermon will be on authentic community - something every church says they want, but very few achieve. Today I read this excellent article today in Leadership magazine: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2013/fall/going-to-church-alone.html The writer bemoans the isolation of most congregants in churches in America. He tells an interesting story of he and his wife being ignored 4 weeks in a row in a new church they were trying to get involved with. When we lived in Port Moody, we also attended a couple of mid-sized churches. These were churches in size of between 300-400 worshippers each. All the indications of church health were there: good worship decent pre...

I read a news article about a pastor who is building a house valued at $1.6 million. The articles covering the story go to great lengths to figure out where the money came from. The pastor wrote a couple of books that sold a lot and he might charge a lot to speak at other conferences - so he has an income stream separate from his ministries as pastor of the church. In this way, a spokesperson from the church insisted that the church did not pay for the house. I don't really care what size or cost a pastor's house is - its really an individual thing how people manage their money - the only clear command is to tithe and be aware that our money is a gift from God and we are called to steward it well. But, this story raises an interesting point -  the secular news media covering this story for some reason think it is problematic and perhaps even wrong for this pastor to be building such a large house. Now - where do they get this idea from? Why would they equate ostentati...

I am writing this in a house buzzing with 6 children ranging in age from 2 to 9. 6 - double the usual number who run through this house. We are taking care of 3 kids of friends of ours who are struggling to come to terms with a loss. Their fourth child died in utero 2 weeks before his projected delivery date. 9 months of hopeful anticipation and excitement collided with the silence of a stilled heartbeat  amplified through medical machinery. Our friend had to go through a compounded misery of forced labor, only to birth a son who was not to be. Felicia and I visited them a few hours after their son was "born". It was unnerving to have our friend flash her beautiful smile in the sun-filled room that housed the still body of their son. We hugged and offered up what seemed useless words of comfort. Felicia held the baby and had to stop herself from rocking the child to calm it. I shared about how we had announced it in the church service that morning. I had to pray...

Last Friday - the beginning of the Battle. I had knee surgery last Friday to correct an injury sustained while trail running 2 years ago. I tore the meniscus in my left knee. For the past 2 years I did physiotherapy to try to manage the pain and discomfort. (I need to write another post about the difference between American and Canadian health care - let me just say - you get what you pay for). But, this post is focused on this past week - a week of forced indolence. I was in a lot of pain and discomfort. And I was always tired. I'm tired right now. I had to postpone several meetings that I had scheduled. I did go to a staff lunch meeting and a Bible Study with our small group. - But was exhausted at the end of that day. It looks like this week might be a repeat of last week - although I will be at church tomorrow, speaking briefly in the Adult Ed. Class and then attending worship. I also am speaking 4 times next weekend - I'll be speaking at a Cornell InterVar...

Dear God, Teach me silence that I might learn to hear. Teach me to love you from my inmost being.                  to wait on You.                  to never ask anything that is outside of Your will.                  to let you act within my soul, forming within it true prayer. When you start to work within me, you release inner power that I might be faithful every hour, in focusing on You. Your presence in my life is a precious gift. Teach me to guard it and steward all that you have gifted me with. Amen. (adapted from Jean-Nicholas Grou).

Leslie Newbign was a missionary to India from Scotland. He joined the Church of South India and eventually rose to the rank of bishop. When he came back to the West, he saw that the Western's Christian moorings had been jettisoned. He began to make the case that the Church now has to approach ministry as a missionary in a foreign culture. We no longer spoke the same vernacular as everyone else. Newbign challenged us to abandon the myth of the modern world. This myth is that a person can jettison faith in God and rest in science and naturalism and still enjoy the following things: meaning in life a basis for human dignity moral consensus hope character shared values strong community Newbign argued that all of the above were facades in a culture that had set off on her journey without God. Humans left to their own are not strong enough to formulate the things needed to secure healthy community and meaning in life. We struggle and stumble - but it remai...

Today at church a friend of mine, Doug Weber spoke. Doug works on Capitol Hill in Washington DC in a ministry there. It sounds pretty important, and it probably is. Doug spoke on doubting Thomas, who he thinks we should rename "Honest Thomas", because he was honest. One thing I picked up on today that I hadn't noticed before was that the other disciples had seen Jesus, but Thomas hadn't. They tell Thomas they saw him. Thomas retorts with, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”  In other words - sorry guys, your testimony isn't good enough. YOu aren't credible witnesses to me. How would you feel if someone questioned your experience? They had ALL seen Jesus - they all told Thomas the same thing. But, Thomas doesn't believe them - and in fact demands experiential proof of Jesus' existence by actually seeing and touching the pierced body of J...