Kelly and I just returned from a too short trip to CT. As we were in CT, it brought back so many memories from having worked there from 1995-2005, before venturing to Pasadena for Fuller Seminary. When I was back in CT, I had many conversations, but I started to think after riding with my former partner in police work, "Who will embrace the message of the gospel?" I talked with many of the police officers and came to the realization that it is very difficult to truly follow Jesus and work within the system of the state. It made me think who the gospel, i.e. 'the good news' of God's kingdom proclamation is proclaimed to. The ones who have no hope in this world, God is giving hope to. There is so much turmoil though in the lives of humans, it sometimes makes me think, "Where is God?" I think that the stories of Jesus need to become real in the lives of Christians, first on the personal level, then in the corporate level of the church.
Kelly and I had lunch with my mom and her mom in downtown Hartford. Hartford, CT last year was rated as the seventh most violent city in the U.S.. Not a good statistic for a city. There is a huge amount of New Urbanism going on in Hartford, with the design of the downtown area, being built for the sake of foot traffic, where people can walk around in the city, interacting with the cultural milieu of Hartford.
Many of the quandaries we face within the structure and system of the church I believe have less to do with "spiritual" issues, or inner dynamics of church life, but have to do with the structure of suburban life. The suburbs do not produce an environment of interaction or engagement with the culture at large. I could probably open my garage door, drive my car to my work, leave work, drive my car back home, close my garage door, and never interact with another person, other than my family members.
There is a new Community College in Hartford, we toured called Capital Community College. The ethnicity of the college is representative of the ethnicity of Hartford. I was excited to see this College, developed in the middle of downtown Hartford, and I could feel the excitement of the students at this new college. It is always exciting to see students who are contributing to the development of the city in which they live.
"Freely you have received, now freely give." (Matthew 10:8) I have thought that this verse meant only 'spiritual' gifts, but it means whatever we 'possess', we 'possess' it from God, who has liberally extended all things to us, now we should liberally extend all to anyone who has need.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Preseason College Football: Rutgers #16
Last season, Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, made its first football Bowl appearance in 137 years, playing Kansas State in the 2006 Texas Bowl to an impressive 37-10 win. Although Rutgers last year was in the competition for the BCS, with an 11-2 overall record, after beating sixth ranked Louisville, they eventually lost to West Virginia, knocking them out of contention. Rutgers has returning running back Ray Rice who adds an incredible speed dimension to Rutgers' overall program. Head coach Greg Schiano had previously said that he wanted to make Rutgers football better by recruiting from within the state of New Jersey, because New Jersey (in my words) is a "hotbed of athletic talent". Of course I am saying that because I went to high school in New Jersey, and the level of competition is phenomenal.Rutgers opens the season on August 30th against Buffalo. While the competitive level of the teams Rutgers plays in the Big East is definitely lacking, if they continue to win, they will be able to move into either a tougher conference or play better teams.
For the entire season to honor Rutgers Football, I have changed the border font to the closest color to Scarlet, since Rutgers are the Scarlet Knights.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
prophet to Prophet...dust to Rain
The book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Scriptures has absolutely transformed so much of what I think about Jesus. As I read Jeremiah, chapter 2 always grips me and I end up never reading much past it. I did an in-depth exegetical study of Jeremiah last summer, where I understood Jeremiah from the perspective of the historical context of which it was written.
So much of our Old Testament study within the Western Church is done through allegory, or spiritualizing what O.T. scriptures are saying, but I do not believe that justice is done unless the historical significance is thoroughly discussed. What is Jeremiah the prophet saying in our day, because the word spoken is not that different from what Jesus spoke. As James Sanders has said, "The false prophet never speaks of love for the enemies of God," which is true of the false prophets in the book of Jeremiah.
We read Jeremiah sometimes from such a "personal" narrative that it loses the overall effect that it was written to an entire kingdom, i.e. the southern kingdom of Judah. At the time Jeremiah was narrated by Jeremiah to Baruch the scribe, Israel was the northern kingdom and Judah the southern kingdom. Approximately one hundred years earlier in 722 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel has been lay ed waste by Assyria and the capital city, Shiloh has been destroyed. Important to note, because when Jeremiah starts to bring a prophetic word in approx. 627 B.C., the word is that Judah is worse off, because she has seen the destruction brought upon her sister Israel, and yet fails to turn from following after other gods.
The main sin of Judah was that she placed hope in Ba'al, the god of fertility rather that Yhwh. Ba'al is the 'god of rain', which in a Middle Eastern climate is important.
That is why I can never get by chapter 2, because Yhwh is crying out in his heart that he loved Israel/Judah when she was in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. In a place where they cried out to Yhwh, "Do not let us die and he continually provided." The wilderness is not a spiritual place where we go to dwell, such as Monasticism, but it is where we live continuously with Christ. It is a place where our every breath, and sustenance is provided by Yhwh. When Israel developed the kingdoms, she no longer had need for Yhwh, until she realized that Ba'al was in all actuality not actually a god, because it could not bring rain. Fear caused Israel to want a king in the first place, but the heart of Yhwh was that they be 'wilderness' dwelling people. The kings by their very nature kill in order to maintain their land and way of life. The translation today would be "Sojourners and pilgrims". Anyways, if you get a chance also read Jeremiah 30-31, renewal of creation themes, as well as Climax of Covenant themes. Jesus started a "wilderness movement", or else why would the gospel have been proclaimed to "all" nations? In many ways, the Church over the past 2000 years has done what Israel did in wanting a "kingdom" where they no longer cry out to Yhwh, but kill in order to sustain what it has.
The life of Jesus completely embodies what Jeremiah is saying, which would make sense since it is the "Word" of God, i.e. the Logos.
Word! Peace!
So much of our Old Testament study within the Western Church is done through allegory, or spiritualizing what O.T. scriptures are saying, but I do not believe that justice is done unless the historical significance is thoroughly discussed. What is Jeremiah the prophet saying in our day, because the word spoken is not that different from what Jesus spoke. As James Sanders has said, "The false prophet never speaks of love for the enemies of God," which is true of the false prophets in the book of Jeremiah.
We read Jeremiah sometimes from such a "personal" narrative that it loses the overall effect that it was written to an entire kingdom, i.e. the southern kingdom of Judah. At the time Jeremiah was narrated by Jeremiah to Baruch the scribe, Israel was the northern kingdom and Judah the southern kingdom. Approximately one hundred years earlier in 722 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel has been lay ed waste by Assyria and the capital city, Shiloh has been destroyed. Important to note, because when Jeremiah starts to bring a prophetic word in approx. 627 B.C., the word is that Judah is worse off, because she has seen the destruction brought upon her sister Israel, and yet fails to turn from following after other gods.
The main sin of Judah was that she placed hope in Ba'al, the god of fertility rather that Yhwh. Ba'al is the 'god of rain', which in a Middle Eastern climate is important.
That is why I can never get by chapter 2, because Yhwh is crying out in his heart that he loved Israel/Judah when she was in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. In a place where they cried out to Yhwh, "Do not let us die and he continually provided." The wilderness is not a spiritual place where we go to dwell, such as Monasticism, but it is where we live continuously with Christ. It is a place where our every breath, and sustenance is provided by Yhwh. When Israel developed the kingdoms, she no longer had need for Yhwh, until she realized that Ba'al was in all actuality not actually a god, because it could not bring rain. Fear caused Israel to want a king in the first place, but the heart of Yhwh was that they be 'wilderness' dwelling people. The kings by their very nature kill in order to maintain their land and way of life. The translation today would be "Sojourners and pilgrims". Anyways, if you get a chance also read Jeremiah 30-31, renewal of creation themes, as well as Climax of Covenant themes. Jesus started a "wilderness movement", or else why would the gospel have been proclaimed to "all" nations? In many ways, the Church over the past 2000 years has done what Israel did in wanting a "kingdom" where they no longer cry out to Yhwh, but kill in order to sustain what it has.
The life of Jesus completely embodies what Jeremiah is saying, which would make sense since it is the "Word" of God, i.e. the Logos.
Word! Peace!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
WOW, it's cold!
What's the temp. tonight? Oh, about two degrees. Good thing that I wore my thermals under my uniform. The apartment complex was unlit, but the suspects car was parked in the numbered spot for the complex. Do you think he is still here, I asked my partner? Ya, I know he is here. The apartment complex is leased to his girlfriend, but he is inside. How many warrants does he have? Three. He always runs; always, my partner stated.
I walked around the back of the complex, alone, in complete darkness, with my thoughts and the mist from my breath. Time was 11:00 p.m., and I should be off right now, instead of working this overtime. I could hear my partner knock, announce, "Police!" and begin a half hour conversation with the suspects girlfriend, as I stood freezing, watching the back door, in case the suspect decided to run. He has run every time we looked for him, but maybe the extreme cold kept him inside.
Finally, reluctantly the girlfriend let us inside, after denying for a half hour that he was in the house. As we searched her home, I could feel the sense of intrusion which we brought into her life. She was staring coldly at us, wishing we would drop dead.
As I walked into her bedroom, there was an eery sense that I was not alone. The other officer was checking another room. I slowly unlatched the button on my holster and drew my handgun, with a flashlight in my left hand a gun in my right hand. I walked over to the closet and I could hear the slightest sound of breathing behind the doors to the closet. I yelled, "Don't move!!" I opened the closet door and found the suspect crouching in sheer fear for his life. He was actually shaking, like a scared child, who was separated from his parents.
I did not let down my guard until I ordered him out of the closet and handcuffed him, but I truly and deeply felt sorrow for him, because his life was racked with fear, anxiety, and pain. This same person six months earlier during the summer had engaged me in a car chase, endangered my life, as well as countless others, to avoid arrest. Yet, all that faded into the past for me at this moment, because when I saw him shaking, every ounce of my being, identified with his fear.
As soon as he was caught, he immediately started to cry, because it was a time of release for him. I sometimes had to not look at him to avoid crying myself and all he could do was apologize to us, as if he was sorry for our inconvenience. He no longer had to hide, he no longer had to lie, he no longer had to fear. Although he was arrested, he was met with compassion and mercy, for I do not believe that God sees us as differently from one another as we see our situations.
As I study the life of Jesus, I realize that Jesus almost never brings Israel's past into the picture, except to show that the kingdom of God has dawned. Jesus is incorporating the past, to show that mercy is now extended to all, that the poor have entered into the "good news" of the kingdom, and that forgiveness is here. Jesus has an incredible way of integrating Israel's entire narrative into the culmination of his own life, I absolutely love this about God. God bless.
I walked around the back of the complex, alone, in complete darkness, with my thoughts and the mist from my breath. Time was 11:00 p.m., and I should be off right now, instead of working this overtime. I could hear my partner knock, announce, "Police!" and begin a half hour conversation with the suspects girlfriend, as I stood freezing, watching the back door, in case the suspect decided to run. He has run every time we looked for him, but maybe the extreme cold kept him inside.
Finally, reluctantly the girlfriend let us inside, after denying for a half hour that he was in the house. As we searched her home, I could feel the sense of intrusion which we brought into her life. She was staring coldly at us, wishing we would drop dead.
As I walked into her bedroom, there was an eery sense that I was not alone. The other officer was checking another room. I slowly unlatched the button on my holster and drew my handgun, with a flashlight in my left hand a gun in my right hand. I walked over to the closet and I could hear the slightest sound of breathing behind the doors to the closet. I yelled, "Don't move!!" I opened the closet door and found the suspect crouching in sheer fear for his life. He was actually shaking, like a scared child, who was separated from his parents.
I did not let down my guard until I ordered him out of the closet and handcuffed him, but I truly and deeply felt sorrow for him, because his life was racked with fear, anxiety, and pain. This same person six months earlier during the summer had engaged me in a car chase, endangered my life, as well as countless others, to avoid arrest. Yet, all that faded into the past for me at this moment, because when I saw him shaking, every ounce of my being, identified with his fear.
As soon as he was caught, he immediately started to cry, because it was a time of release for him. I sometimes had to not look at him to avoid crying myself and all he could do was apologize to us, as if he was sorry for our inconvenience. He no longer had to hide, he no longer had to lie, he no longer had to fear. Although he was arrested, he was met with compassion and mercy, for I do not believe that God sees us as differently from one another as we see our situations.
As I study the life of Jesus, I realize that Jesus almost never brings Israel's past into the picture, except to show that the kingdom of God has dawned. Jesus is incorporating the past, to show that mercy is now extended to all, that the poor have entered into the "good news" of the kingdom, and that forgiveness is here. Jesus has an incredible way of integrating Israel's entire narrative into the culmination of his own life, I absolutely love this about God. God bless.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Personal doesn't always mean me
This is a personal update. I like to usually keep my posts close to my heart, which are not personal stories, per se, but a testimony towards the proclamation of the gospel, lived and embodied in the universal church of Jesus Christ. Amen.
With that said, I simply want to say that being at Fuller has transformed not just my thinking, but the expression of what I think. We don't usually have to tell people they need to live out what they preach or think, because we do it so naturally. If we live in fear, then we will act in fear. If we live in love, then we will act in love, it is the natural outworking of either the Spirit of God or as Jesus said, "Being of this world".
Fear is the antithesis of faith, and is probably the greatest contributing factor of why I blog. I believe that fear drives people to do horrendously evil things. I am guilty of evil and have lived in much fear for most of my adult life. I see a lot of the reasons are because I believed that Christianity is only an inner war, raging in my own heart, pulling me one way, when I deeply want to go another. As if God were neurotic like humans. We then say, "Well, it is all grace anyways", as if grace somehow enables humans to sin, when in all actuality grace enables humans NOT to sin.
I am reading another Miroslav Volf book called, The End of Memory and I will incorporate his three books; Free of Charge, Exclusion and Embrace, and this book into a paper that I will be writing entitled; Forgiveness as an Ethical, Social Movement. Volf writes that in order to forgive we must remember rightly, which means that we must allow the perpetrators of violence to speak, because only through their words, may we understand that they too are/were victims of violence. Forgiveness can also then bring redemption and healing to their lives, because one day we as Christians do believe God is going to set the world right, which means violence, will be truly known for what it is, and we do not want to be on the side of violence.
Volf says that we can live "active peacemaking" in this life, because we believe that God is a God of justice and vengeance, which is why God is a God of love. God sees things for what they truly are, we see things one dimensionally. This is why as Volf says, "we seek the truth, but do not possess the truth", because Jesus himself is the truth. I hope everyone has a chance to read Volf, it is truly life changing.
With that said, I simply want to say that being at Fuller has transformed not just my thinking, but the expression of what I think. We don't usually have to tell people they need to live out what they preach or think, because we do it so naturally. If we live in fear, then we will act in fear. If we live in love, then we will act in love, it is the natural outworking of either the Spirit of God or as Jesus said, "Being of this world".
Fear is the antithesis of faith, and is probably the greatest contributing factor of why I blog. I believe that fear drives people to do horrendously evil things. I am guilty of evil and have lived in much fear for most of my adult life. I see a lot of the reasons are because I believed that Christianity is only an inner war, raging in my own heart, pulling me one way, when I deeply want to go another. As if God were neurotic like humans. We then say, "Well, it is all grace anyways", as if grace somehow enables humans to sin, when in all actuality grace enables humans NOT to sin.
I am reading another Miroslav Volf book called, The End of Memory and I will incorporate his three books; Free of Charge, Exclusion and Embrace, and this book into a paper that I will be writing entitled; Forgiveness as an Ethical, Social Movement. Volf writes that in order to forgive we must remember rightly, which means that we must allow the perpetrators of violence to speak, because only through their words, may we understand that they too are/were victims of violence. Forgiveness can also then bring redemption and healing to their lives, because one day we as Christians do believe God is going to set the world right, which means violence, will be truly known for what it is, and we do not want to be on the side of violence.
Volf says that we can live "active peacemaking" in this life, because we believe that God is a God of justice and vengeance, which is why God is a God of love. God sees things for what they truly are, we see things one dimensionally. This is why as Volf says, "we seek the truth, but do not possess the truth", because Jesus himself is the truth. I hope everyone has a chance to read Volf, it is truly life changing.
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