Christmas is Changing the World

What's the best Christmas present that you have ever given? One that I remember was the Christmas when I gave my wife a bag of cat food. Really...it was good because that meant that I was giving in on getting a kitty. She was thrilled!

But cats aside, how many of the Christmas presents that you have given changed another person's life? I'm not sure any of mine have, that is until this year. This year my wife and I gave money to Living Water International in honor of several family members. Living Water Internataional works to provide clean water access to people in over 25 countries around the world. I've never been with out access to clean water, so it is hard for me to imagine living in these kinds of situations. But the reality is that over 1 billion people on this planet do not have access to clean, safe water. So a gift to Living Water International actually changes people's lives. So even though it is Christmas Eve, it's not too late to give a gift that will really make a difference. Check out their ministry at www.water.cc and consider donating any amount. Who knows, it just might change your life as well!

Living Water International

During this Advent season, our church will be collecting a special offering that will go to Living Water International who works to provide clean water for those without this basic necessity of life. The following video explains more:

Advent Conspiracy 2009

This year our church is participating in the Advent Conspiracy. Join us!

Video - Be My Everything

I used the following music video in our service on Sunday. Enjoy!

Comedian Tim Hawkins

Hey...thought this song was funny. Maybe a good marriage counseling tool?

Weddings and Funerals

I have had a string of weddings and funerals in the past month and a half. In fact, this week I had the privilege of celebrating a marriage and grieving a death just three days apart. The contrast is quite stark between these two human events. Weddings, typically, are much like a birth. They are the beginning of a new thing that the Bible refers to as "one flesh," and they come with much anticipation and hope as this couple looks forward to their future together. The ups and downs that are sure to come don't carry much weight in the presence of marital bliss. There will be time enough to deal with conflict and crisis. But in this moment, celebration is the only thought.

And then there are funerals which too is a normal human event. And while we sometimes call them a "celebration of life," they are still times of grieving our loss. We all will be eulogized one day, and yet the arrival of death still feels like an assault on life. Rather than the future, it is the past that occupies our thoughts in these moments. "What if" is a more common train of thought as we pour through the pages of our history with our dearly departed. Just like a marriage, death goes with us into our future. It marks us for the rest of our lives as we hold on to the love we had for our friend, all the while stumbling towards our own last good bye.

In both of these human events we find ourselves. We find our greatest hopes and ambitions for the days that are yet to come, and we find our fears and doubts about what lies on the other side. We experience our own beauty in the face of our beloved, and we acknowledge our own brokenness as we pay our respects for another who has gone on before us.

And so we live, somewhere between celebration and grief.

Desire

I have been invited as of late to consider what it is that I truly desire. The quick answer would be things like a month long vacation in the Colorado mountains, or new siding on my house. But the answer to this question lies much deeper, buried beneath the rubble of my life.

As I have been reflecting on my desire, I have come to realize that much of my Christian experience has been largely Buddhist in this arena. If I may, as an outsider, condense Buddhist teaching - the elimination of desire is the primary aim. Desire is responsible for the corruption in the world and in self, so says Buddhism. And much of my Christian experience has embraced this approach to desire. I am instructed that "all desire is sinful," according to James 1. I am told that the heart is full of sin, and so the desires that come from it cannot be trusted. And so, I have been taught that to consider my desire, as anything more than a case in point of my brokenness, is dangerous.

I recall the first time I read a little book by C.S. Lewis titled "The Weight of Glory" in which he challenges this Buddhist/Christian approach to desire. If I may paraphrase, he argues that God finds our desires NOT to big, but to small. He wrote that we are much like a small child who is content to play in a mud puddle because we cannot fathom the idea of a vacation at the beach. And so we desire much less than what God would have us to desire. And perhaps as we "grow up" in the faith, we learn to supress our desires for something more because we can't imagine that something better than what we are experiencing might be available to us.

Perhaps one of the reasons that the idea of desire has been missing in my life of faith is that the answers are to be found at such a deep place that I have tended to go about my life without even noticing them. And when they have errupted through the surface of my life, I have quickly supressed them and labeled them as momentary lapses in an otherwise desire-free Christian life. As I have in recent months spent some time considering my desires with God, I have come to realize both holy and broken aspects of myself. Desires that both surprise me and frighten me. Desires that sound very much like the image of God in me, and desires that resonate with my own sinfulness. Only in the presence of the Spirit have I felt free to consider such desires.

So Jesus comes to me and asks me, "What do you want?" "What do you want me to do for you?" And only now am I beginning to realize the answer to that question.

"Unfaithfully Yours"

In the June 13, 2009 edition of TIME magazine, the cover story was titled "Unfaithfully Yours." Caitlin Flanagan wrote a wonderful essay on the state of marriage in the U.S. and how it is effecting our children and society. I was very surprised to see an article with this perspective on the cover of TIME, but it is worth a read. You can find it here.

For the less squeamish, Joel Stein wrote a humorous article on the growing trend of preserving the placenta after birth for the purpose of eating it as pill form later in life. If you dare, you can find it here.

Cell Phone Karma

If you've ever had cell phones going off in a church service, you'll appreciate this commerical titled "Cell Phone Karma."

99 Ballons

This is a must watch video celebrating the short life of a little boy named Eliot Hartman Mooney.

Release: What Birds Dream

My good friend, Jeff Caylor, just released his second recording of all original music. Check him out here, and support his music!

There's Crying Coming From This House

If you walked by our house at any given moment in the day, you might hear crying. There are different kinds of tears that are shed in this place - tears of hunger, tears of disappointment, tears of hurt, and tears of loss. Most of these tears come from my three boys as they learn to navigate life in what can be a disappointing, hurtful, and empty world. My newborn cries because he needs more calories, or because he is finished with the previous amount given to him (poop). My next youngest cries because he doesn't get what he wants, or because his older brother finished his sentence for him. My oldest cries because he has a tender heart, or because one of his special creations breaks. There's definitely crying coming from this house.

I'm thinking today, however, about other kinds of tears. There are men and women around our community who shed tears of hunger, disappointment, hurt and loss - just like my boys, yet for different reasons. And as I see the tears fall, I wonder who cares?

Both major political parties use these tears for the acquisition of more power. The social system, although it is staffed by well intended people, have all they can do to just put bandaids onto the wounds. And the Church, well I think the jury is still out on that one.

I have the privilege of pastoring a number of women and men who care deeply about these tears. They take active and practical steps to address the issues that cause them to flow. And yet, like most churches, I also have men and women whom I pastor who seem more interested in maintaining a comfortable tear-free environment. Today, Matthew 25 has come to mind where Jesus is recorded as saying that when we care for the tear stained faces (my interpretation) we are caring for Him. That sounds almost romantic, but that is really hard because it cuts against the grain of our self-focused attitudes. Time and again, Jesus calls us away from an approach to life (and Church) that asks "what are you going to do for me?" Or, "I want things done my way," to an other-focused life of love that genuinely cares about the tears that fall around our community and world.

There's crying coming from this house...but who cares?

Global Day of Prayer

On Sunday, May 31st, followers of Jesus from around the globe will be gathering together to lift our hearts and voices in prayer. We will be looking to organize a gathering in the city of Duluth for the 2010 GDoP. If you are interested in being a part of this event next year, please send me an email at pstrjeff@bbcduluth.org.

Here is a video about last year's GDoP.

More Pics: Lucas & Family

Our boys, Noah and Caleb, got to meet their new baby brother this morning. They were very excited to see him, and to see mom again. Caleb (5 yrs) was concerned about mom being in the hospital.

Caleb & Lucas are going to be good buddies!

Noah & Lucas clicked right away!

Introducing Lucas Glenn Hyatt

Not every day contains opportunities to share in the birth of a new life into this world, but today was one of those days for me. My third son, Lucas Glenn Hyatt, was born Tuesday evening. (8 lbs, 3 0z - 22 inches) He and mom are healthy and tired! Thank you to all of you who have prayed for us. We are blessed beyond what we deserve. He will be a great addition to the two rock stars we already have (Noah, Caleb). They are very excited to both be big brothers!

"No, Mr. President" by John Piper

The following link leads to a powerful video from John Piper titled "No, Mr. President." Take time to watch it and share your thoughts here!

Miss California and Gay Marriage

The world is now fully aware that 2009 Miss California, Carrie Prejean, does not support gay marriage. So what exactly is the big deal? This is it: Carrie Prejean shocked the gay-marriage-supporting-community by nearly winning the 2009 Miss America Padgent. It wouldn't have mattered what Carrie's views were as long as she stayed out of the spot light. But now that she has the opportunity to say outloud what the majority of Americans think - chiefly that marriage should only be between one man and one woman - she is a threat. And the way that you deal with threats is to try to eliminate it. And so today, the many loud voices of Hollywood have launched an all out attack on Carrie's lack of intelligence, homophobia, backwards Christian beliefs, and value as a human being. Why? Because she said outloud something that Perez Hilton didn't want to hear. This, apprently, is what tolerance looks like.

So what success will this approach of attacking your opponents bring the Gay Marriage lobby? None...that is unless their attempts to silence those who disagree with them, by intimidation, works. I find it quite ironic that during a week when the President has come out strongly against the practice of defeating your enemies through torture that we have a high profile example of doing the same thing in the name of tolerance and equal rights. So look out world, hate in the name of love has found a new cause.

Vision with Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr.

I'm guessing that most of you who read this blog are not familiar with the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. It is a lot of blood and guts, and I'm not necessarily recommending it as a new hobby. However, one of the early dreamers behind the development of MMA as a self-sustaining industry was Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr. He was well known for his face paint and all-out-there personality. And he co-founded a product line called TapouT with a few friends in those early years. "Mask" died in a car accident this week, and his memoiral service was held at the Crystal Cathedral in southern California.

I came across this video of the last interview that "Mask"gave before his death. And in it he talks about what it means to believe in the vision that you have. I think that "Mask" well articulates the needed commitment to see a vision become a reality.

Quote: The Fellowship of the Rings

Okay...I am hooked on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" triliogy as portrayed by Peter Jackson's recent movies. I was watching the first, The Fellowship of the Rings, and was struck again by this interaction between the unlikely hero - Frodo Baggins - and the wise Gandolph the Grey.

(Frodo) "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

(Gandolph) "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."

The pain and suffering that Frodo had to endure, which was of no fault of his own, was very real and scarry! There was nothing 'happy' to say that would retranslate his situation into an 'acceptable' scenario. And yet, Frodo (representing all of us) still had a choice of what do with the time that he had.

Even in the face of suffering, I have a choice. It is still difficult, but choices still face us. Frodo chose his path voluntarily at the council in Rivendale to take the ring of power to Mount Doom. What a freightening choice, and yet what a courageous one. As I think about Gandolph's sage advice, I wonder if I too will make such a courageous choice when faced with such daunting odds.

Sleep Running Dog

Occasionally I enjoy posting a fun story or video. My wife sent me this one of a dog sleep running. Poor guy!

Faith ~ a Gift or a Response?

I have been thinking quite a bit as of late regarding the nature of that thing that we call "faith." It is widely used to describe a person's 'beliefs' about all things spiritual or supernatural. Those things which we believe that surpass the realm of the natural which science can measure and probe, are relegated to the category of 'faith.'

Within the evangelical Christian community (if I may be so bold as to assume that this group actually is a 'community') there is a debate that continues to broil over this issue of faith. The fault line of this disagreement is often located in Ephesians 2:8-9 where the Apostle Paul wrote "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."

The question that is raised is in regards to the 'gift' that is mentioned. Is grace the gift? Is faith the gift? Or are both grace and faith the gift? The issue that is debated is based upon the understanding that faith is the gift that Paul references "...so that no one can boast" of their faith. This leads many then to say that a person is given faith by God and consequently it is not something that can be lost or walked away from.

As I have been studying faith, as revealed in the letter James wrote, faith appears quite strongly to be a response from a person to the saving grace of God revealed in Jesus. Rather than being a gift that is given from God to a person, faith appears to be the response of the person to God. And consequently, it is something that we are to continue to respond in (persevere) as we choose to following Jesus throughout our life.

Where does this leave us then in regards to loosing or walking away from this faith? It appears to me that since faith is a way of responding to God, then it would be possible for a person to stop responding in this way. Does that mean that they have "lost their salvation?" Thankfully I'm not the one that has to decide that for myself or anyone else. However, the call is to follow God in confidence, having faith that he really does know what he is talking about. That is a response of a living faith as revealed in the Scriptures. And that leads me into a relationship with the God who holds my future.

Confident of Not Knowing

I came across the website for the Cathedral at Chapel Hill in Decatur, Georgia where D.E. Paulk is the senior pastor. They describe their church as radically inclusive in regards to all faiths. Paulk's newest book is titled "I Don't Know...The Way of Knowing." The following is the promotional material for the book from their website:

"'I Don't Know...The Way of Knowing' by D.E. Paulk. I Don't Know is the required confession needed to be granted admission to the path of enlightenment and to The Way of Knowing. I Know is conclusive, ending, finite and therefore devastating. I Know is an enemy of immortality and nemesis to The Way of Knowing. We are all infinite spirits and the offspring of the Infinite Creator. When we discover the I Don't Know within we unleash our Infinite nature and unearth the Endless Us! Are you ready to put on immortality?All Truth flows to us from One Divine River . From that One River many wells form and are fed. We might call these wells religions, cultures or philosophies. All wells sustained by the One River contain beauty and truth. However, we make a grave mistake when we declare any particular well as being the One River. I Don't Know dissolves religious division, bridges cultural chasms and dodges philosophical divorce originating from the I Know. I Don't Know is the Repairer of the Breach. In a day when the I Know is to be charged with so much human suffering - I Don't Know shines brightly as an ancient idea whose time has come of age. $20."

I find it interesting that a book is written to asert what one doesn't know. Certainly "I know" has been used to abuse many, both flowing from religion as well as in society at large. But why spend many pages encouraging people to not know something? And how confident can I be that this approch to knowing is best? Can I really know what I don't know? Humm...

"Shack Chat" at Bethel University

Bethel University recently hosted a "Shack Chat" with Dr. David Clark and Dr. Steve Sandage discussing the book. I think that they have some good observations about the merits and down sides to this phenomenom of a book. The audio is here.

TIME on the New Calvinism

David Van Biema wrote an article in TIME magazine regarding the New Calvinism which he sees as the most passionate group within evangelicalism. In many ways I agree with his evaluation. In part this is to the credit of new calvanism which has found a theology that stirs the imagination towards the granduer of God as the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.

What bothers me, both for my neo-calvanistic brothers and sisters as well as for myself, is Van Biema's final paragraph. He wrote, "It will be interesting to see whether Calvin's latest legacy will be classic Protestant backbiting or whether, during these hard times, more Christians searching for security will submit their wills to the austerely demanding God of their country's infancy."

Are these really the only options? And for my neo-calvanisitc friends, is this what is bringing converts into this theology - a desire for security in the midst of difficult financial times? If so, will these new converts then re-convert to the Prosperity theology when money picks up?

And for all of us as protest-ants, how much does the historical "backbiting" that we have been identified as having engaged in now shape our thelogies and relationships with one another and the world? How are we to expect that the world will indeed find security in a real and vital relationship with God if He is represented by backbiters and naval gazers?

Are You Really Seeing What Is Going On?

I was sent this video clip from a friend of a presentation on 'perception.' It is worth a viewing. How did you do?

N.T. Wright in Response

On the side bar of this blog is a listing of blogs I follow. One is by Dr. Ben Witherinton III who is one of the leading New Testament scholars of our day. His most recent post is a Q & A with Bishop N.T. Wright about his book "Surprised by Hope." I am in the process of reading the book, so far it is very good. If you are interested, here is a link to this Q & A.

"How is it with your Soul?" by Ruth Haley Barton

Here is the third article in Ruth Haley Barton's Lenten series. They continue to be very thought provoking as well as providing some good, practical steps. Here is the link.

The Eschatology of Jesus - 5

Scot's fifth post from his eschatology series is here. He tries to tie together his thoughts from the previous four postings.

"The Coming Evangelical Collapse"

This is an adaptation of the writings of Michael Spencer who blogs at InternetMonk.com. He offers a vision for a much different future for the evangelical movement of Christianity. What you think of his predictions? You can read the article here.

The Eschatology of Jesus

Scot McKnight is just starting to post a paper he wrote and presented on the Eschatology of Jesus. He wrote that R.C. Sproul recently described his view as a 'partial preterist,' for those of you who care. You can find his first post here. And his second post from today, here.

The Disappearing Act

According to a recent survey, the percentage of Christians is continuing to decline even as the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation climbs. So even as the number of imimigrants from Central and Latin America who are predominately R.C. increases, professing Christians are still declinging. "Fifteen percent of respondents said they had no religion, an increase from 14.2 percent in 2001 and 8.2 percent in 1990, according to the American Religious Identification Survey."

What should this be telling us as the Church in U.S.?

"Repentance" by Ruth Haley Barton

Ruth Haley Barton of The Transforming Center in Chicago. The following is the link to her second enstallment in her Lenten series. Click here.

Atheist Penn Jillette on Evangelism

Penn Jillette, of Penn & Teller, is a well known atheist. He shares an encounter that he had after one of their shows with a man who gave him a Bible. Interesting observations...

Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

One of my friends sent me this video of comedian Louis Ck on the Connan O'brien show. There's some crude languge, but very funny observations about our society.

Lenten Article by Ruth Haley Barton

Beginning in April of this year, I will be participating in an experience called "The Transforming Community" in Chicago. The focus of the program is to help pastors and other ministry staff to learn to reorder our lives and ministry in a way that leads to health and wholeness. I am looking forward to this two-year program, and how God is going to continue his transforming work in me.

One of the co-founders of the "Transforming Center" is Ruth Haley Barton. She is the author of several books, most recently Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.

Ruth recently published an article on Lent that I found very good. This is the link.

Bell on Forgiveness

Skye Jethani wrote a brief review of Rob Bell's message at the 'National Pastors Convention' on the need for forgiveness as pastors. It is worth a quick read and a long consideration. Here is the link.

Scot McKnight on the NeoReformed

If you are not a regular vistor to Scot McKnight's blog ~ Jesus Creed ~ you might want to check out a new thread that he started today on his response to the NeoReformed. Here is the link.

Finishing Strong

Every once in a while you come across an inspirational story. This is one of those occassions. Take the time to watch this video on Nick Vujicic.

Best Commentary Quote

Okay...I have spent hundreds of hours (conservative estimate) reading commentaries on the Bible. And yesterday I came across the best commentary quote so far. Here it is:

"This whole section really hinges on these two great 'buts'."

Moyter, J.A. The Message of James, The Bible Speaks Today. p. 64.

Love, Money and Change

As the winds of change were blowing across this nation, propelling our new president into office, something went unnoticed. Money. Not only did President Obama raise and spend a record amount of money in his election (all apparently legal), but now a 'love of money' is giving a knee wobbling blow to his new administration.

The new Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geitner, admitted to failing to pay his self-employment taxes while working for the Internaitonal Monetary Fund. In addition, claimed his children's summer camp expenses as his business expenses even after his accountant said that he couldn't. This was explained away as a "honest mistake." Really? The guy who is going to run the department that oversees the IRS doesn't know that he has to pay self-employment taxes as a person who is self-employed? Or that he can't claim little Jimmy's week at Camp Summer Fun as his work expenses? Really?

Yesterday, the latest blow was dealt to the Obama administration and our country as the nominee for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Dashle, withdrew himself from the nomination. This came after much scrambling to explain why he had not paided more than $120,000 dollars in taxes, with an additional $12,000 in fines. That is well over two years salary for my family. How is it that a multiple-term senator, once the majority leader of the senate, doesn't know to pay his taxes? And this was the guy who was supposed to fix our healthcare system? Really? This, of course, was also explained as a "honest mistake." Really?

I have not yet mentioned Nancy Killefer who was supposed to be our nations Chief Proformance Officer to make sure our government was productive with it spending. She had to withdraw because she didn't pay taxes for a couple of years on her nanny who apparently was an illegal alien. She is going to make sure our government is accountable? Really?

So what is going on? I'm not sure that anyone other than the nominees believes that any of these situations are simply "honest mistakes." It appears to me that what has happened is that these individuals, along with many other people in our country are in love. What? Yes, I said it. They are in love....with MONEY. They thought that they found a way to keep more of there money by not following the laws that they professed to uphold. And now, in the national spotlight, they have been caught in the middle of a love affair.

In 1 Timothy 6:10 the Apostle Paul wrote, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

These otherwise decent people have been pierced through with many griefs because of the love affair that they have with money. And the reality is that many of us also have the same lover. Most of us keep our torrid affair a well kept secret, but every once in a while circumstances reveal our true passion.

So let the difficult and embarassing plight of these three individuals serve as a warning for you and I. Let's guard our hearts from falling in love with the seductress of money and possession, because once our hearts become attached we too are in for a hard fall.

Bushisms

Whatever your opinion of President George W. Bush, you have to enjoy the many "Bushisms" that have come off his lips. This link is a collection of them.