A letter was sent out this morning about the future of emergent village, a web site that has been helpful for our community as we re-imagine our future. The entire text can be found here.
As our church community continues to seek new ways to engage people in faith conversation, I found the way emergent grounds itself to be helpful in the way we imagine our community. I include it here for you to read, discern and discuss. They write about commitment to:
1. Commitment to God in the Way of Jesus-We are committed to doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. In the words of Jesus, we seek to live by the Great Commandment: loving God and loving our neighbors—including those who might be considered “the least of these” or enemies. We understand the gospel to be centered in Jesus and his message of the Kingdom of God, a message offering reconciliation with God, humanity, creation, and self. We are committed to a “generous orthodoxy” in faith and practice—affirming the historic Christian faith and the biblical injunction to love one another even when we disagree. We embrace many historic spiritual practices, including prayer, meditation, contemplation, study, solitude, silence, service, and fellowship, believing that healthy theology cannot be separated from healthy spirituality.
2. Commitment to the Church in all its Forms-We are committed to honor and serve the church in all its forms—Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, Anabaptist. We practice “deep ecclesiology”—rather than favoring some forms of the church and critiquing or rejecting others, we see that every form of the church has both weaknesses and strengths, both liabilities and potential.
We believe the rampant injustice and sin in our world requires the sincere, collaborative, and whole-hearted response of all Christians in all denominations, from the most historic and hierarchical, through the mid-range of local and congregational churches, to the most spontaneous and informal expressions. We affirm both the value of strengthening, renewing, and transitioning existing churches and organizations, and the need for planting, resourcing, and coaching new ones of many kinds.
We seek to be irenic and inclusive of all our Christian sisters and brothers, rather than elitist and critical. We own the many failures of the church as our failures, which humbles us and calls us to repentance, and we also celebrate the many heroes and virtues of the church, which inspires us and gives us hope.
3. Commitment to God’s World-We practice our faith missionally—that is, we do not isolate ourselves from this world, but rather, we follow Christ into the world. We seek to fulfill the mission of God in our generations, and then to pass the baton faithfully to the next generations as well. We believe the church exists for the benefit and blessing of the world at large; we seek therefore not to be blessed to the exclusion of everyone else, but rather for the benefit of everyone else. We see the earth and all it contains as God’s beloved creation, and so we join God in seeking its good, its healing, and its blessing.
4. Commitment to One Another-In order to strengthen our shared faith and resolve, and in order to encourage and learn from one another in our diversity through respectful, sacred conversation, we value time and interaction with other friends who share this rule and its practices. We identify ourselves as members of this growing, global, generative, and non-exclusive friendship. We welcome others into this friendship as well. We bring whatever resources we can to enrich this shared faith and resolve.
Hopefully our church can learn and continue to be in dialogue about how these commitments might fit into the community we are recreating. Thanks to emergent village board for issuing this letter.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Good words from Adam Smith over at Relevant Magazine
There’s no doubt that the current financial crisis is at the forefront of most people’s minds. Banks are in trouble, homes are being foreclosed on, and the stock market continues to plummet with a savage and single-minded determination. The government has scrambled to stop the bleeding, with both parties tripping over themselves to throw billions of dollars at companies who apparently couldn’t handle their affairs in the first place. Fourty-two billion went to investment giant AIG, who promptly and in good faith used 0,000 of it to send their executives to a five-star resort. After the press brutally raked them over the coals for their conspicuous consumption, the chastened corporation took their executives on a hunting trip to England.
Bailout: A Crisis of Economy and Faith
The Ordinary Radicals
Seven Burning Issues: Consumerism
Yom Kippur Throws Some Punches
Everyday Ways To Stay Afloat
In the midst of this absolute mess, it’s very easy for the common person to panic. After all, with companies in flames all around us, the corporations that drive our economy grossly mismanaged to the point of catastrophe, can our jobs or livelihoods fall far behind? However, there is a powerful message in all this, if we choose to learn it. Jesus puts it in perspective for us in Matthew 6.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33, TNIV)
Our first reaction to a response like this is to think it trite. After all, we don’t need tired Christian catch-alls right now. We need pragmatism. We need action! I wonder why it is, though, that faith in God’s providence seems impractical to us? In our modern, Western society, it’s easy to look at the words Jesus spoke here and dismiss them as a lot of nice and idealistic talk. Yet, what Jesus is telling us is far more than the necessity of relying on God. He’s pointing out all the things we rely on instead.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a set-apart and peculiar people. We seem to have diminished that concept to a list of action-based do’s and don’ts while still accepting part and parcel the world’s attitudes and priorities. How different are we really when it comes to our concerns over money and material desires? Where does our faith run off to when the company we work for starts handing out pink slips? Either the message Jesus spoke here is true both in times of abundance and want, or it is never true at all.
We have a very particular opportunity before us. As the world pulls out its collective hair watching global markets fall farther and farther, we can exhibit a peace and faith that befuddles those around us. We can show the world that we truly believe that God will supply our needs, even when we don’t see it happening. Even when we have misconceptions about what our true needs are.
There’s another element to all this. For those of the world who are deeply affected by this economic downturn, we can be a light by helping to supply their needs. Can you imagine the impact it would have on the world if the body of Christ suddenly came to the financial aid of those who have lost their jobs? How many volumes of God’s love could we speak by stepping up to help pay the mortgage of our neighbors facing foreclosure? This global panic could be remembered as a time when Christians put the Gospel in action and reached out to help the downtrodden, or it can be remembered as a time when they panicked along with everyone else. The choice is ours.
Democrat or Republican, we should be able to agree that the answer to our problems is not a government bailout. The answer is a steadfast reliance on God’s provision. Even when everything around us looks grim, and our very livelihoods are threatened, we can rest assured that God is more concerned with our needs than we are. Let us be a people who fundamentally believe the promises Jesus made. Not as a pious platitude, but as a pragmatic reality.
Author: Adam Smith
Bailout: A Crisis of Economy and Faith
The Ordinary Radicals
Seven Burning Issues: Consumerism
Yom Kippur Throws Some Punches
Everyday Ways To Stay Afloat
In the midst of this absolute mess, it’s very easy for the common person to panic. After all, with companies in flames all around us, the corporations that drive our economy grossly mismanaged to the point of catastrophe, can our jobs or livelihoods fall far behind? However, there is a powerful message in all this, if we choose to learn it. Jesus puts it in perspective for us in Matthew 6.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33, TNIV)
Our first reaction to a response like this is to think it trite. After all, we don’t need tired Christian catch-alls right now. We need pragmatism. We need action! I wonder why it is, though, that faith in God’s providence seems impractical to us? In our modern, Western society, it’s easy to look at the words Jesus spoke here and dismiss them as a lot of nice and idealistic talk. Yet, what Jesus is telling us is far more than the necessity of relying on God. He’s pointing out all the things we rely on instead.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a set-apart and peculiar people. We seem to have diminished that concept to a list of action-based do’s and don’ts while still accepting part and parcel the world’s attitudes and priorities. How different are we really when it comes to our concerns over money and material desires? Where does our faith run off to when the company we work for starts handing out pink slips? Either the message Jesus spoke here is true both in times of abundance and want, or it is never true at all.
We have a very particular opportunity before us. As the world pulls out its collective hair watching global markets fall farther and farther, we can exhibit a peace and faith that befuddles those around us. We can show the world that we truly believe that God will supply our needs, even when we don’t see it happening. Even when we have misconceptions about what our true needs are.
There’s another element to all this. For those of the world who are deeply affected by this economic downturn, we can be a light by helping to supply their needs. Can you imagine the impact it would have on the world if the body of Christ suddenly came to the financial aid of those who have lost their jobs? How many volumes of God’s love could we speak by stepping up to help pay the mortgage of our neighbors facing foreclosure? This global panic could be remembered as a time when Christians put the Gospel in action and reached out to help the downtrodden, or it can be remembered as a time when they panicked along with everyone else. The choice is ours.
Democrat or Republican, we should be able to agree that the answer to our problems is not a government bailout. The answer is a steadfast reliance on God’s provision. Even when everything around us looks grim, and our very livelihoods are threatened, we can rest assured that God is more concerned with our needs than we are. Let us be a people who fundamentally believe the promises Jesus made. Not as a pious platitude, but as a pragmatic reality.
Author: Adam Smith
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Check out this cool new Bible. Thanks for David Crumm's web site for pointing it out to me.
Friends:
Check out this cool new Bible!
Read The Spirit
278: Conversation With the Creators of the World's 1st "Green Letter" Bible
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 11:11 PM CDT
One century has passed since an evangelical publisher launched one of the most popular editions of the Bible in the 20th Century: the Red-Letter Edition. All the words of Jesus were printed in red ink, a symbol of Jesus' blood.
Now, at the dawn of a new century, religious leaders concerned about the future of the Earth are launching: "The Green Bible," a Green-Letter Edition. All the words of the Bible about God's care for Creation are printed in green. The latest studies of Bible ownership in America show that most of us claim to read the Bible and most Bible readers own multiple copies. This means that, if you're a Bible reader — go ahead and click on the cover of this new edition, because you're going to want to buy a copy. There's much more to this effort than gimmickry. The creator of the Red-Letter Edition, Louis Klopsch, wanted to refocus Christian readers' reflections back on the teachings of Jesus. This was part of a larger movement 100 years ago especially among Protestants to return to the life and core teachings of this rabbi from Nazareth. Klopsch said he wanted to help people "set aside mere human doctrines and theories regarding Him ... to gather from His own lips the definition of His mission to the world and His own revelation of the Father." Now, it's time to refocus the world's spiritual attention on God's Creation and the future of this fragile blue ball on which we live. Dr. Matthew Sleeth, the ecological evangelist who was among the main advisers on the "Green Bible," writes in his Introduction: "What my reading disclosed is that creation care is at the very core of our Christian walk. ... From Genesis to Revelation, I discovered a trail of green trees as well as vines, bushes, branches, and leaves."
Our Conversation today involves two people who played key roles in the publication of this landmark edition. First is Mark Tauber, senior voice president and publisher of HarperOne.
DAVID: Mark, like a lot of important new ideas, there's a simplicity at the core of this concept that borrows from earlier innovations. A Green-Letter Edition. When I heard about this and got an early copy of your new Bible to read, I kept thinking: Wow. This is such a natural idea. Why didn't somebody think of this sooner? MARK: We've been thinking about this for a while. "Green" and "sustainability" are on our minds these days and, as we tried to take the temperature of mainline Protestant groups and Catholics about creation care and sustainability, we found that this would be a perfect Bible for a whole lot of people. With this book, we have established what we call a green trail. Matthew Sleeth, who acted as a general editor and wrote the introduction, is lined up to do two more books with us. DAVID: Now that the concept is out there, I'm guessing we may see others follow, right? For example, this is a Protestant version of the books of the Bible. I'm guessing we may see a green-letter Catholic edition at some point. Are you planning to do more versions at HarperOne? MARK: Next year, we will do a Green Bible devotional with scripture and thoughts and reflections. And we do expect to see others do something like this with the Bible. I would not be surprised to see Zondervan or Thomas Nelson or Tyndale do something like this. DAVID: Was it technically difficult? I know that the Bible is produced in green-friendly materials: soy-based inks, recycled paper and a cotton-linen cover. MARK: Yes, first we had to organize this whole team of people, including Matthew Sleeth, picking the passages we would mark in green. But, even more difficult than that was getting the tone of the ink just right. DAVID: This book is printed on that strong-but-thin paper that is used for Bibles. I'd call the color of the ink something like "forest green." And it turned out to be tough to print? MARK: Yes. We had to have our managing editor fly to rural Ohio to one of our big printing presses and he had to do a middle-of-the-night press check to make sure the green was right. We didn't want it to be too light. And we didn't want bleed-through to the next page. We had to get that right. Bible publishing is a very hard business. You see all of these specialty Bibles stacked up and some of them are just laughable because the concept just doesn't work well. There's a part of me that sometimes cringes over the idea of specialty Bibles. But people are telling us that this is a very helpful resource. Yes, it's a specialty Bible, but it's also a new concept and I think this the Green Bible will last for quite a while. That's why we're calling this the start of a green trail of books.
Then, we turned to Matthew Sleeth, who began his career as a medical doctor, but became convinced that he was called to a far larger vocation as a healer of Earth itself. In his Introduction, he describes a vacation he and his wife took with their children to an idyllic island off the coast of Florida. Life on the island was like a slice of Eden and the stars came out at night in a way they don't in more urban areas. Talking with his wife one night on that trip, she happened to ask: "What is the biggest problem facing our world?" Moved by this setting and his love for his family, Matthew replied, "The world is dying." It was a defining moment in which he began to ponder his life and the changes he had seen even close to home. He writes, "There are no chestnuts on Chestnut Lane, no elms on Elm Street, no caribou in Caribou, Maine, and no buffalo in Buffalo, New York. Multiple states have had to change their official tree, animal or flower because of extinctions."
DAVID: I was deeply moved by reading your Introduction to this new Bible. You write in a way that I think every parent will connect the dots here and see the urgency of working on these issues. It is about loving the natural world, but it's also about the future of our families. MATTHEW: We now live in Kentucky, but we lived on the coast of Maine at that time. It was the middle of winter when we took that trip to the island. There were no cars and no street lights there. The breezes blew in off the gulf and there was this kind of quiet at night. It was kind of like the way God made the world. What I now understand is that God often speaks to us through our spouses, our friends and the story of our lives. The answer I gave my wife that night was a profound and disturbing one. DAVID: I think that as people begin to read this Bible, they're going to be amazed at how much material there is in the Bible about what we call today "Creation care" or "greening." MATTHEW: Do you know who was asked to interpret the first dream about climate change? It was Joseph in the Bible. There are biblical answers here for the problems ahead of us. What did Joseph do? He didn't drill for more water. He began a conversation program. DAVID: So, how did the team decide what to mark in green? Flipping through the pages, I think people may take issue with some of your choices. They may spot passages that the team missed. MATTHEW: My role with the book was broad based. I didn't choose the passages. Even as I read the book, I see things that aren't marked in green that should be. As we read these passages more thoughtfully, more will seem green to us, I'm sure. But this was the first time this was done and it was a good effort. I hope we will see many more Bibles like this in the future. The beauty of the Bible is that wherever we find ourselves in time, and whatever problems we face, we can turn to the Bible and there are answers. Joseph had some good advice about preparing for climate change. DAVID: You're clearly not alone. Everywhere I turn, people are talking about green themes in their spiritual journeys. There's a hunger for this message.
MATTHEW: It's written into our genes. It's our first commandment in the Bible to protect and serve the Earth. In the New Testament, when Christ is resurrected, he's mistaken for a gardener. That's not a mistake. This resonates with believers and nonbelievers, with children and with old people. Sometimes people say to me, "Oh, yes, young people will get this." And I say to them, "No, all people will get this." When I first started talking about these ideas, I spoke to very small audiences. It was hard for me to get time in a pulpit to speak about this. Now, one group after another invites me to speak and sometimes I'm speaking to thousands of people. DAVID: People are beginning to realize that they need to be concerned about this — and that even a handful of people can make a difference. MATTHEW: Here's what often happens. I will go to a particular church that has invited me. I went to a church in Baltimore, for example. One person there had been working for years to try to get the church to take on this issue. Then, I went there and taught a small class and preached to four different services throughout that weekend. That whole church did a 180 turn. There are a lot of people out there like the person in Baltimore who finally arranged for me to come and speak. They're often isolated. A critical mass hasn't built yet, but it is building. This is an enormous change we're all making. And this is just the beginning.
CARE TO READ MORE? HarperOne has set up a Web site to introduce the new Bible. It's at http://greenletterbible.com. The site has information about co-sponsoring organizations and offers a link to "browse" sample pages of the Bible online.
PLEASE, Tell Us What You Think. Not only do we welcome your notes, ideas, suggestions and personal reflections—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We're also reachable on Facebook, Digg, Amazon, GoodReads and some of the other social-networking sites as well, if you're part of those groups. (Published in the ReadTheSpirit online magazine.)
Check out this cool new Bible!
Read The Spirit
278: Conversation With the Creators of the World's 1st "Green Letter" Bible
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 11:11 PM CDT
One century has passed since an evangelical publisher launched one of the most popular editions of the Bible in the 20th Century: the Red-Letter Edition. All the words of Jesus were printed in red ink, a symbol of Jesus' blood.
Now, at the dawn of a new century, religious leaders concerned about the future of the Earth are launching: "The Green Bible," a Green-Letter Edition. All the words of the Bible about God's care for Creation are printed in green. The latest studies of Bible ownership in America show that most of us claim to read the Bible and most Bible readers own multiple copies. This means that, if you're a Bible reader — go ahead and click on the cover of this new edition, because you're going to want to buy a copy. There's much more to this effort than gimmickry. The creator of the Red-Letter Edition, Louis Klopsch, wanted to refocus Christian readers' reflections back on the teachings of Jesus. This was part of a larger movement 100 years ago especially among Protestants to return to the life and core teachings of this rabbi from Nazareth. Klopsch said he wanted to help people "set aside mere human doctrines and theories regarding Him ... to gather from His own lips the definition of His mission to the world and His own revelation of the Father." Now, it's time to refocus the world's spiritual attention on God's Creation and the future of this fragile blue ball on which we live. Dr. Matthew Sleeth, the ecological evangelist who was among the main advisers on the "Green Bible," writes in his Introduction: "What my reading disclosed is that creation care is at the very core of our Christian walk. ... From Genesis to Revelation, I discovered a trail of green trees as well as vines, bushes, branches, and leaves."
Our Conversation today involves two people who played key roles in the publication of this landmark edition. First is Mark Tauber, senior voice president and publisher of HarperOne.
DAVID: Mark, like a lot of important new ideas, there's a simplicity at the core of this concept that borrows from earlier innovations. A Green-Letter Edition. When I heard about this and got an early copy of your new Bible to read, I kept thinking: Wow. This is such a natural idea. Why didn't somebody think of this sooner? MARK: We've been thinking about this for a while. "Green" and "sustainability" are on our minds these days and, as we tried to take the temperature of mainline Protestant groups and Catholics about creation care and sustainability, we found that this would be a perfect Bible for a whole lot of people. With this book, we have established what we call a green trail. Matthew Sleeth, who acted as a general editor and wrote the introduction, is lined up to do two more books with us. DAVID: Now that the concept is out there, I'm guessing we may see others follow, right? For example, this is a Protestant version of the books of the Bible. I'm guessing we may see a green-letter Catholic edition at some point. Are you planning to do more versions at HarperOne? MARK: Next year, we will do a Green Bible devotional with scripture and thoughts and reflections. And we do expect to see others do something like this with the Bible. I would not be surprised to see Zondervan or Thomas Nelson or Tyndale do something like this. DAVID: Was it technically difficult? I know that the Bible is produced in green-friendly materials: soy-based inks, recycled paper and a cotton-linen cover. MARK: Yes, first we had to organize this whole team of people, including Matthew Sleeth, picking the passages we would mark in green. But, even more difficult than that was getting the tone of the ink just right. DAVID: This book is printed on that strong-but-thin paper that is used for Bibles. I'd call the color of the ink something like "forest green." And it turned out to be tough to print? MARK: Yes. We had to have our managing editor fly to rural Ohio to one of our big printing presses and he had to do a middle-of-the-night press check to make sure the green was right. We didn't want it to be too light. And we didn't want bleed-through to the next page. We had to get that right. Bible publishing is a very hard business. You see all of these specialty Bibles stacked up and some of them are just laughable because the concept just doesn't work well. There's a part of me that sometimes cringes over the idea of specialty Bibles. But people are telling us that this is a very helpful resource. Yes, it's a specialty Bible, but it's also a new concept and I think this the Green Bible will last for quite a while. That's why we're calling this the start of a green trail of books.
Then, we turned to Matthew Sleeth, who began his career as a medical doctor, but became convinced that he was called to a far larger vocation as a healer of Earth itself. In his Introduction, he describes a vacation he and his wife took with their children to an idyllic island off the coast of Florida. Life on the island was like a slice of Eden and the stars came out at night in a way they don't in more urban areas. Talking with his wife one night on that trip, she happened to ask: "What is the biggest problem facing our world?" Moved by this setting and his love for his family, Matthew replied, "The world is dying." It was a defining moment in which he began to ponder his life and the changes he had seen even close to home. He writes, "There are no chestnuts on Chestnut Lane, no elms on Elm Street, no caribou in Caribou, Maine, and no buffalo in Buffalo, New York. Multiple states have had to change their official tree, animal or flower because of extinctions."
DAVID: I was deeply moved by reading your Introduction to this new Bible. You write in a way that I think every parent will connect the dots here and see the urgency of working on these issues. It is about loving the natural world, but it's also about the future of our families. MATTHEW: We now live in Kentucky, but we lived on the coast of Maine at that time. It was the middle of winter when we took that trip to the island. There were no cars and no street lights there. The breezes blew in off the gulf and there was this kind of quiet at night. It was kind of like the way God made the world. What I now understand is that God often speaks to us through our spouses, our friends and the story of our lives. The answer I gave my wife that night was a profound and disturbing one. DAVID: I think that as people begin to read this Bible, they're going to be amazed at how much material there is in the Bible about what we call today "Creation care" or "greening." MATTHEW: Do you know who was asked to interpret the first dream about climate change? It was Joseph in the Bible. There are biblical answers here for the problems ahead of us. What did Joseph do? He didn't drill for more water. He began a conversation program. DAVID: So, how did the team decide what to mark in green? Flipping through the pages, I think people may take issue with some of your choices. They may spot passages that the team missed. MATTHEW: My role with the book was broad based. I didn't choose the passages. Even as I read the book, I see things that aren't marked in green that should be. As we read these passages more thoughtfully, more will seem green to us, I'm sure. But this was the first time this was done and it was a good effort. I hope we will see many more Bibles like this in the future. The beauty of the Bible is that wherever we find ourselves in time, and whatever problems we face, we can turn to the Bible and there are answers. Joseph had some good advice about preparing for climate change. DAVID: You're clearly not alone. Everywhere I turn, people are talking about green themes in their spiritual journeys. There's a hunger for this message.
MATTHEW: It's written into our genes. It's our first commandment in the Bible to protect and serve the Earth. In the New Testament, when Christ is resurrected, he's mistaken for a gardener. That's not a mistake. This resonates with believers and nonbelievers, with children and with old people. Sometimes people say to me, "Oh, yes, young people will get this." And I say to them, "No, all people will get this." When I first started talking about these ideas, I spoke to very small audiences. It was hard for me to get time in a pulpit to speak about this. Now, one group after another invites me to speak and sometimes I'm speaking to thousands of people. DAVID: People are beginning to realize that they need to be concerned about this — and that even a handful of people can make a difference. MATTHEW: Here's what often happens. I will go to a particular church that has invited me. I went to a church in Baltimore, for example. One person there had been working for years to try to get the church to take on this issue. Then, I went there and taught a small class and preached to four different services throughout that weekend. That whole church did a 180 turn. There are a lot of people out there like the person in Baltimore who finally arranged for me to come and speak. They're often isolated. A critical mass hasn't built yet, but it is building. This is an enormous change we're all making. And this is just the beginning.
CARE TO READ MORE? HarperOne has set up a Web site to introduce the new Bible. It's at http://greenletterbible.com. The site has information about co-sponsoring organizations and offers a link to "browse" sample pages of the Bible online.
PLEASE, Tell Us What You Think. Not only do we welcome your notes, ideas, suggestions and personal reflections—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We're also reachable on Facebook, Digg, Amazon, GoodReads and some of the other social-networking sites as well, if you're part of those groups. (Published in the ReadTheSpirit online magazine.)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Is this a miracle?
From one of my favorite weekly magazines, The Week:
Miracles: after residents of Marino, Italy, discovered white wine flowing from their water faucets. "Miracolo!" they cried. The vino, it turns out, was supposed to spill from a fountain in the town square for the annual grape festival, but a plumbing mishap diverted it into homes.
Miracles: after residents of Marino, Italy, discovered white wine flowing from their water faucets. "Miracolo!" they cried. The vino, it turns out, was supposed to spill from a fountain in the town square for the annual grape festival, but a plumbing mishap diverted it into homes.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Newest letter from ELCA Bishop's about the ecomonic crisis
This is from our national church bishops. Do they get it right? Do you feel better or worse after you read it? Let me know what you think.
Almighty God, . . . teach us how to govern the ways of business to the harm of none and for the sake of the common good; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 78
Grace and peace to you.
As bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , we are deeply concerned about the current financial crisis, which is affecting not only our nation but the entire global economy. This crisis is causing fear and loss in our country as thousands of families face unemployment, foreclosure, and uncertainty about savings and pensions. Meanwhile, they struggle to put food on the table and gas into their cars. The future is uncertain for all of us, but it is especially frightening for those who are already vulnerable and struggling to survive. We offer our prayers for those whose lives are being affected and for our national leaders as they seek to address this complex matter.
We call on all people in our own communities of faith and those from every segment of our society who seek the health of our nation to join in conversation and prayer about our collective economic life, our financial behaviors, and the interconnectedness of all life and creation that cries out to be reclaimed.
This church has addressed the issues surrounding economic life in its social statement, “Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” (www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Economic-Life.aspx), and we encourage the use of this statement as a way to understand more fully how the following theological and biblical principles are central as we respond to this situation.
Concern for People in Poverty
The constitution of the ELCA calls this church to serve by “standing with the poor and powerless and committing itself to their needs.” (ELCA 4.02.c.). We are grateful for the pastors and leaders in our congregations who already have stepped forward to care for those who are suffering, and we encourage them to continue this response and to provide leadership in the task of turning our attention to the causes and effects of this crisis. We are called to work toward an economic system that truly serves the common good and especially the needs of the poor. We look for partnership with all those who seek to address this financial crisis in a way that also recognizes the humanitarian issues involved.
Personal and Corporate Responsibility
The ELCA social statement on economic life calls for individuals to live responsibly and within their means and to beware of the dangers of over-consumption and unnecessary accumulation, which draw us beyond authentic need into excess and destructive indebtedness. We call on businesses and corporations of all sizes to consider the social implications of company policies and to practice good stewardship of creation (Genesis 1:26).
The Need for Good Government
We hold and teach that government has an instrumental and constructive role to play in our shared life. This role includes “limiting or countering narrow economic interests and promoting the common good” (“Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” p. 11). We call on government to hold corporations and other powerful economic actors accountable for the effects of their practices on workers, communities, and the environment.
The Benefits and Limits of Free Markets
For many people, the current market-based economy has proven to be effective as a system to meet material need, generate wealth, and create opportunity. However, we hold and teach that any economic system should be measured by the degree to which it serves God’s purposes for humankind and creation. Those who have been blessed by the fruits of our economy are called to be generous in giving to those who have lost much and to advocate for accountability and appropriate regulation in this system.
As people of the God who calls us out of fear into hope and community, we welcome all people into widespread and respectful discussion about this current crisis. In this way we can create partnerships that will help those whose lives are being shattered and encourage responsibility and integrity in our national economic life.
As people of faith, we pray:
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ dignified our labor by sharing our toil. Guide us with your justice in the workplace, so that we may never value things above people, or surrender honor to love of gain or lust for power. Prosper all efforts to put an end to work that brings no joy, and teach us how to govern the ways of business to the harm of none and for the sake of the common good; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Conference of Bishops
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
October 7, 2008
Almighty God, . . . teach us how to govern the ways of business to the harm of none and for the sake of the common good; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 78
Grace and peace to you.
As bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , we are deeply concerned about the current financial crisis, which is affecting not only our nation but the entire global economy. This crisis is causing fear and loss in our country as thousands of families face unemployment, foreclosure, and uncertainty about savings and pensions. Meanwhile, they struggle to put food on the table and gas into their cars. The future is uncertain for all of us, but it is especially frightening for those who are already vulnerable and struggling to survive. We offer our prayers for those whose lives are being affected and for our national leaders as they seek to address this complex matter.
We call on all people in our own communities of faith and those from every segment of our society who seek the health of our nation to join in conversation and prayer about our collective economic life, our financial behaviors, and the interconnectedness of all life and creation that cries out to be reclaimed.
This church has addressed the issues surrounding economic life in its social statement, “Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” (www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Economic-Life.aspx), and we encourage the use of this statement as a way to understand more fully how the following theological and biblical principles are central as we respond to this situation.
Concern for People in Poverty
The constitution of the ELCA calls this church to serve by “standing with the poor and powerless and committing itself to their needs.” (ELCA 4.02.c.). We are grateful for the pastors and leaders in our congregations who already have stepped forward to care for those who are suffering, and we encourage them to continue this response and to provide leadership in the task of turning our attention to the causes and effects of this crisis. We are called to work toward an economic system that truly serves the common good and especially the needs of the poor. We look for partnership with all those who seek to address this financial crisis in a way that also recognizes the humanitarian issues involved.
Personal and Corporate Responsibility
The ELCA social statement on economic life calls for individuals to live responsibly and within their means and to beware of the dangers of over-consumption and unnecessary accumulation, which draw us beyond authentic need into excess and destructive indebtedness. We call on businesses and corporations of all sizes to consider the social implications of company policies and to practice good stewardship of creation (Genesis 1:26).
The Need for Good Government
We hold and teach that government has an instrumental and constructive role to play in our shared life. This role includes “limiting or countering narrow economic interests and promoting the common good” (“Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” p. 11). We call on government to hold corporations and other powerful economic actors accountable for the effects of their practices on workers, communities, and the environment.
The Benefits and Limits of Free Markets
For many people, the current market-based economy has proven to be effective as a system to meet material need, generate wealth, and create opportunity. However, we hold and teach that any economic system should be measured by the degree to which it serves God’s purposes for humankind and creation. Those who have been blessed by the fruits of our economy are called to be generous in giving to those who have lost much and to advocate for accountability and appropriate regulation in this system.
As people of the God who calls us out of fear into hope and community, we welcome all people into widespread and respectful discussion about this current crisis. In this way we can create partnerships that will help those whose lives are being shattered and encourage responsibility and integrity in our national economic life.
As people of faith, we pray:
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ dignified our labor by sharing our toil. Guide us with your justice in the workplace, so that we may never value things above people, or surrender honor to love of gain or lust for power. Prosper all efforts to put an end to work that brings no joy, and teach us how to govern the ways of business to the harm of none and for the sake of the common good; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Conference of Bishops
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
October 7, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Good food for thought for a struggling people
Friends:
Here is one take on how to make it through whatever economic crisis we are in.
How To Survive A Bad Economy
by Randy Robison
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves breakin and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
There’s a lot of talk about the economy these days. The stock market is taking a beating, homes are being foreclosed and the dollar is losing value. The news is full of doom and gloom, so people are worried. Accusations of thievery and mismanagement abound. But when the blame is set aside and the financial intricacies are stripped away, what is the core issue?
Mark Punzo, a friend of the ministry who works at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, recently asked me, “What is something worth?” It didn’t take me long to reply, “Whatever somebody will pay for it.” “So what are you worth?” he asked. I admit my first thought went to life insurance actuary tables. My salary times x number of years before I retire… But I knew that wasn’t what he was driving at, so I guessed, “Whatever someone will pay me?” “Whatever someone will pay for you,” he corrected. Then he asked a question that really bent my mind. “What did God pay for you?” Now I got it. God paid for me with His only Son’s blood. It certainly wasn’t the first time I’d heard that principle, but it was the first time I had heard it put that way. It struck me hard. Is that really the value God places on me? Am I worth the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Why don’t I act like it?
“When God spoke that to me,” Mark continued, “He then said, ‘Look at all the people around you. That’s what they are worth to Me, too.’”
What incredible value! You, your loved ones, your acquaintances and even the people you don’t know are by far the most valuable things ever created, worth more than any company’s stock, assets or investments.
So why is it that we seem to be more concerned about our retirement plans than our relatives? Why do we react to an economic crisis with more urgency than a spiritual crisis? Do we really see the value in ourselves and in other people that God sees?
I confess that I take people for granted. If I spotted a $20 bill in the gutter, I’d stop to pick it up. But I have passed right by a person lying in the gutter without any second thoughts. I think perhaps my sense of value is askew. As a “responsible” husband and father, I spend time laying up treasure on earth for medical bills, college and (hopefully, some day) retirement. But those things will all pass away. My daughter’s car will eventually break down and rust, but her spirit is eternal. My son’s braces will give him a nice smile for a while, but what kind of man will he be when his teeth are falling out and his looks don’t matter any more?
I have decided to not worry about the economy. Good or bad, God is in control. I can only have one response if I want to hold on to anything of value: invest in the things in which God has invested.
You are worth what God paid for you. So is your spouse, your child and your neighbor. If you want to be rich, don’t look to your bank account. It will fail you. Look to the people in your life and invest in them. Then you will be truly prosperous, no matter what the economy does. And unlike the wealth of this world, you can take it with you forever.
This Week: Don’t worry about the economy; just make good investments. Deposit your time and love into someone’s life.
Prayer: “Father, forgive me for focusing on the temporal things of this earth. Help me to see the value in people that You see and lay up treasure in heaven by investing in them.”
Be blessed.
Here is one take on how to make it through whatever economic crisis we are in.
How To Survive A Bad Economy
by Randy Robison
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves breakin and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
There’s a lot of talk about the economy these days. The stock market is taking a beating, homes are being foreclosed and the dollar is losing value. The news is full of doom and gloom, so people are worried. Accusations of thievery and mismanagement abound. But when the blame is set aside and the financial intricacies are stripped away, what is the core issue?
Mark Punzo, a friend of the ministry who works at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, recently asked me, “What is something worth?” It didn’t take me long to reply, “Whatever somebody will pay for it.” “So what are you worth?” he asked. I admit my first thought went to life insurance actuary tables. My salary times x number of years before I retire… But I knew that wasn’t what he was driving at, so I guessed, “Whatever someone will pay me?” “Whatever someone will pay for you,” he corrected. Then he asked a question that really bent my mind. “What did God pay for you?” Now I got it. God paid for me with His only Son’s blood. It certainly wasn’t the first time I’d heard that principle, but it was the first time I had heard it put that way. It struck me hard. Is that really the value God places on me? Am I worth the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Why don’t I act like it?
“When God spoke that to me,” Mark continued, “He then said, ‘Look at all the people around you. That’s what they are worth to Me, too.’”
What incredible value! You, your loved ones, your acquaintances and even the people you don’t know are by far the most valuable things ever created, worth more than any company’s stock, assets or investments.
So why is it that we seem to be more concerned about our retirement plans than our relatives? Why do we react to an economic crisis with more urgency than a spiritual crisis? Do we really see the value in ourselves and in other people that God sees?
I confess that I take people for granted. If I spotted a $20 bill in the gutter, I’d stop to pick it up. But I have passed right by a person lying in the gutter without any second thoughts. I think perhaps my sense of value is askew. As a “responsible” husband and father, I spend time laying up treasure on earth for medical bills, college and (hopefully, some day) retirement. But those things will all pass away. My daughter’s car will eventually break down and rust, but her spirit is eternal. My son’s braces will give him a nice smile for a while, but what kind of man will he be when his teeth are falling out and his looks don’t matter any more?
I have decided to not worry about the economy. Good or bad, God is in control. I can only have one response if I want to hold on to anything of value: invest in the things in which God has invested.
You are worth what God paid for you. So is your spouse, your child and your neighbor. If you want to be rich, don’t look to your bank account. It will fail you. Look to the people in your life and invest in them. Then you will be truly prosperous, no matter what the economy does. And unlike the wealth of this world, you can take it with you forever.
This Week: Don’t worry about the economy; just make good investments. Deposit your time and love into someone’s life.
Prayer: “Father, forgive me for focusing on the temporal things of this earth. Help me to see the value in people that You see and lay up treasure in heaven by investing in them.”
Be blessed.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Solomon's Porch tomorrow night
Friends:
Please consider joining us tomorrow for Solomon’s Porch at First Cup coffee house at Five and Inkster in Redford. Our topic for tomorrow:
Last week the people of metro Atlanta experienced the first real gas shortage in recent memory. People were left to wonder what they would do if they could not gas up their vehicles. The questions for discussion are: what would you do if you could not put gas in your car? How would your life change? How would you go about living your “normal” life? Is modifying your use of fossil fuels a good or bad thing? What would be the end result if this became a reality in our area? Could you survive? What is the faith response to all of this? Come out tomorrow for what should be an interesting discussion.
Be blessed.
Please consider joining us tomorrow for Solomon’s Porch at First Cup coffee house at Five and Inkster in Redford. Our topic for tomorrow:
Last week the people of metro Atlanta experienced the first real gas shortage in recent memory. People were left to wonder what they would do if they could not gas up their vehicles. The questions for discussion are: what would you do if you could not put gas in your car? How would your life change? How would you go about living your “normal” life? Is modifying your use of fossil fuels a good or bad thing? What would be the end result if this became a reality in our area? Could you survive? What is the faith response to all of this? Come out tomorrow for what should be an interesting discussion.
Be blessed.
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