Deadly Pandemic or Authentic Journey

"Do not follow where the path may lead; but go to where there is no path and leave a trail."
- unknown

I have an incurable disease - a deadly pandemic that I was infected with almost nine years ago. It happened innocently enough, by two random events spread apart by several years. The first and least important event happened when the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle issued me a driver's license. The second event was my wedding day nine years ago. These two days were crowning achievements in my life, and I successfully completed both tasks on my first try.

Unfortunately, the combination of these two innocent events has resulted in an inoperable condition I call, "I know where I am going, we don't need directions!" (which will be refered to as NOMAP from now on) My wife, who was originally a nursing student, has labored in vain as an amateur apothecary mixing various medicines such as, "Just read the map stupid!", "Stop at the first gas station!", and "Ask that old lady walking down the street!"

These may seem like items with powerful medicinal powers, but the side effects, plus the pride the druggist would take in 'curing' me, have proven to be too much for me. I have accepted the fact that I will never be cured from NOMAP and I, and my unfortunate passengers, will suffer under its effects for as long as my license is renewed.

The truth is, much of my life is governed the same way. I don't want a map or a program to tell me when to turn, where to go, and what decision to make at every intersection. I want to make those decisions myself...better yet, I want to search out the truth about what decision I should make, instead of listening to someone else telling me what to do. Many times parents, pastors, well meaning friends, and family members protest to those infected with NOMAP. But the truth is, many times we are not acting out of rebellion or youthful ignorance, instead we are driven by a desire for authenticity.

I don't want to be someones religious robot nor evangelical puppet. I don't need to be told how to vote, how to dress, what movies and music to listen to, and whatever else we have confused Jesus with being about. Instead, I need to be shown how to love, how to heal, and how to forgive...the things Jesus was about. And for that, I don't need a map or a religious system. I need a relationship with a revolutionary thinker, a heroic champion of justice, and an architect of a better way to live.

Sometimes we call the bible a road map, but I think we're selling it short. For me, the bible is the greatest romance novel ever written. (And thankfully, Fabio isn't on the cover.) It is a story of a deliberate and intentional God giving humanity life and relationship with their creator, and putting into motion a way for all to experience communion with his presence, forever.

A map has pictures, lines, and symbols. The bible has passion, shed blood, and produces life and liberty. One of the major problems with modern christianity is we have minimized an infinite God to stats, number, and rules.

So those of you infected with NOMAP, I urge to not check into the hospital(or church) for a quick immunization. I challenge you to continue on your difficult journey in your pursuit of an authentic relationship with your living, loving creator.

Life, Motion, and Existence

In 1st century Athens, a city that pioneered philosophy, the arts, and history, a people who introduced a new form of modern government called democracy, and established a legacy in architecture and sculpting, there remained one area that they admittedly remained novice. Surrounded by great achievements, and the ideological hope that they had truly made life better for generations to come, they were haunted by a landscape they had yet to grasp, much less mark with their creative interpretation.

This was not an error of oversight or neglect. Quite contrary, great effort was spent and philosophers from different backgrounds would spend their time talking, listening, and debating on this issue. Foreigners would travel just to witness the open arena, known as Mars Hill, where debate would take place. It was a place where gifted philosopher and common laborer could speak openly, the only qualification being that he must listen openly as well.

The focus, the yet to be learned and conquered ‘art’, was…God. The Athenians were not atheist who disbelieved in God altogether, nor were they deist who believed in a creator who had vanished after creation. They believed in God, they just didn’t know who God was. They even went so far as to build an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God’.

Last week, my son woke up in the middle of the night screaming and crying out. Being the good father that I am, I waited to see if my wife was going to get up and see what was wrong. She did, but after several minutes, he continued to cry uncontrollably. I finally got out of bed, deciding to end this disruption to much coveted rest. When I knelt to my son’s bed, I could tell that this was no ordinary ’night whimper’. Something was wrong. I grabbed my five-year son in my arms, and he grasped me tightly. His whole body was tight, yet shaking, as his tears streamed down his face. My wife and I couldn’t understand anything he was saying, but eventually found out that his stomach hurt.

At one point, as waves of pain overwhelmed him, he tugged on my neck as hard as he could, and he cried out in my ear, ’Daddy, daddy, daddy.’ My sleep had been interrupted by his tears, but my life had been interrupted by his cry. In that moment, nothing mattered except the remedy for his pain. I would have done absolutely anything to relieve his discomfort. His cry had awakened our household(and maybe some of our neighbors), and he had our complete attention and care.

That’s exactly what God did for the Athenians. Truth and freedom from the anguish and painful journey of searching for God, arrived in the form of a Jew, who had had a powerful encounter with the true God.

I’m not sure what your perception of God is, but mine is summed up in 7 words recorded by an ancient king named David. “He parted the heavens and came down.” I not only take comfort in those words, those words describe who I see God as. His desire is to part the divide between heaven and earth, and come down to reveal himself to mankind.

So in your search for meaning, truth, and spiritual sobriety, may you be blessed as the Athenians to realize that, “In him we live, we move and have our being…for we are His offspring.”

Authentic Community

au·then·tic refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions.

Andrew Root in Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry
"Relational ministries should avoid the temptation to use relationships to influence people and instead see the mandate of the incarnation as the call to shared solidarity in common humanity."

Several years ago, I was working my near minumum-wage job, when hope appeared to me in a three-piece suit. This man approached me and struck up a conversation beyond the normal, "And, I'll take fries with that." I was immediatly struck with how he genuine and honest he was.

He asked me what my plans were in the future, and what I was doing at the present to get there. I tried to give my best shot at an intelligent response while attempting to figure out the answer to those questions myself. After what I'm sure was the stupidiest response he had ever heard, he handed me a business card and invited me to his house the following week for a meeting.

My excitement got me through the next week and I left for his house believing that my life was going to be radically changed. I showed up at his door nervous but with high expectations. I had my resume with me, and I was ready to sound much more intelligent than I had previously. His wife opened the door with a warm smile and she quickly shook my hand and led me into their large living room.

I was surprised to see that the room was full of young men and women who looked just like me. Not expecting so much competition for this job interview, I sized up the room and felt that I still had a chance.

The man soon made his appearance, trading in his slick suit for a more comfortable sweater. He quickly shook hands with each of us and asked us to find a seat. This time he felt cold and distant, and he seemed more interested in sharing what appeared to be some fancy presentation.

For the next 45 minutes, I listened in horror to a slick marketing scheme on how cheap junk could be sold for big profits, simply by becoming part of his sales team. For startup fees of only $145, I could start my own business, and even get my families members, for $145, to start their own business as well. The "interview" turned out to be a chessy pyramid-marketing scheme.

I left the house as soon as I could feeling ashamed that I'd fallen for this scheme, and embarrassed that I had believed that the man actually cared about me.

I'll never forget that encounter and the only good that came out that night was that today I have a heightened awareness of people like him.

It makes me wonder, if in all of our "win the lost at any cost", and "turn or burn" campaigns to "win our cities for Jesus", if we come across just like that man in a three-piece suit? Do we authentically care about people? And are we trying to develop authentic relationships with people not to win them, sell them, or advertise our churches, but because...we love them.

So it's time to put away the evangelism strategies and retire what Rob Bell describes as the "bullhorn guy". Being an authentic community will cause us to be real, raw, honest, and humble. Although a road less travelled, along the way I believe we'll encounter truth, justice, and life to the full.

Messy Christianity

I enjoy reading and listening to people who don't think like me. I am not a glutton for debates, as these seem to be a terrible waste of time. You know what I'm talking about. Conversations(debates) where you talk loudly and arrogantly about why you're right and smart and the other person is wrong and...well, stupid.

I'm talking about merely listening...what a concept! One the American Church and the American Christian do little of. Not only do we not listen to God, a simply reading and obeying of His word, we don't listen to people in general. We really struggle with allowing other people to speak into our lives. It's as if we really believe that the only people that need to stop and listen are weak, anemic people who don't have any idea what they are doing or where they are headed. Well, this is my confession and my blog is my confessional booth... I don't have a clue. So, you wise sages of all knowledge high and far, fire away. Go to work telling me what following God looks like, what I should like, and what the American church should like. Share and elaborate with me your endless rhetoric and precise commentary.

I remember in high school, I had a part time job at an 'eletronic superstore'. My job was to sell car stereos and my salary was completely based on my ability to sell, sell, sell. The problem was that I knew absolutely nothing about car stereos. Not only that, I could care less about what subs were, why you needed to buy the cleanest amp available, and the importance of circuitry design. I was more interested in friends, money, and fun. (I'm not sure in what order.) But one day, via my department manager, who seemed completely interested in the above mentioned stereo jargon, I had an epiphany. "You don't have to care about car stereos, and you don't even have to know anything about them." he said to me one day. "You just have to fake it. You just have to convince them that you know everything about stereos and convince people that if they take your advice, they will be completely satisfied." I was hooked. That day I traded in my training manuals and my desire for new informaton about fresh, cutting-edge technology, for mass manupulation. And it worked.

So today, a little older, not too much wiser, I stand at the same intersection. I see these ministers on TV who claim to know it all, and they'll even share it with you if you buy their new book, or give that generous monthly pledge. And I have friends who at the smallest, slightest acknowledgement that I'm honestly searching for answers, will jump on me with a three-point teaching about wisdom and faith. It all seems so tempting...but then I am reminded of my goofy department manager with his out of date suit and tie. "Just fake it, Joe", he would say to me with a goofy grin. And every time I am around people with their pyramid scheme, marketing strategies that explain how to know God's will, I'm at first skeptical, then somewhat curious, but finally, a new epiphany arrives. They're all as clueless as I am. But maybe even more so, because they are pretending to actually know truth.

You see, my Christian journey is messy. I seem to be moving in the dark much of the time. My growth and revelation may be slow, and it's definetly laborous, but it's legit. Eric Stark, music director at Word of Life Church in St. Jo, Mo, says, "In the fog of my mind, my soul speaks clearly. And with a clear head, the soul stays silent." That really resonates with. Maybe we are designed to move into the unknown, even mystically drawn there. It's a search and a journey that will only end when our breath does. Not just because some schmo told us to fake it, but because the journey is the point.

So, I enjoy listening to what people think, especially if it's not what I think. I enjoy being around people who have become addicted to the fog. We'll allow those with complete revelations of all knowledge of God and man your due time. We'll nod our heads, and appear to believe your sales pitch. But, to those desperate for truth, hungry for justice, and without a clue on how to bring about either one, I bless you. May our journeys carry on, and our questions always haunt us...it's messy Christianity.