Belonging and not belonging

He came to his own and his own people did not receive him John 1:11

Sometimes our search for belonging ends up empty because we do not realize that life as a believer is always full of paradox and tension. Why? It is because our Lord and Master is full of paradox and tension. Fully God and fully man. Poor and rich. Weak and powerful. One of the most striking paradoxes is that he belonged and did not belong. As a jew he belonged to the jewish nation. As a human he belonged to humankind. He was naturally connected to these groups and had an affinity for them. We also are connected to many groups and affinities. I myself belong to African Americans. I also belong to the hip hop nation. I belong to Fuller Seminary as well. On and on it goes until finally there is the tension of not belonging. When we side with Jesus we find ourselves in the predicament of not belonging to this world. We are then called to not only be accepted but to be rejected. The call of God demands this of us because it is the path that God chose as he became man and walked this earth. It is a call to be marginalized and rejected; to be on the outside. This is where our true calling lies. It is in belonging so much that we are touched with the infirmities and weaknesses of others. It is in not belonging so much that we can speak up for those who are oppressed. You will never be a part of the "in" crowd because Jesus wasn't a part of the "in" crowd. He was ghetto and the people in the ghetto of galilee and judea rejected and despised him to the point of consenting to his death. When we belong and do not belong we are bound to encounter the cross and inevitable death. If this is the case then our only consolation is the resurrection where we will most certainly see that all along and throughout eternity we belong to God.

The Ghetto as part of Seminary Curriculum

It has been a few years since I have been around the place where I grew up-Lynwood, CA. Just recently I had to stop by the So Cal Gas Company's Compton base which is right next to Lynwood and I saw so much poverty and darkness that I couldn't believe my eyes. It was hard to imagine that just a little over ten years ago I was walking these same streets. As much as it was hard to look at it did me good. For one thing it reminded me of where I am from and who I am and where I've come from. Sometimes after we get into our christian bubble we forget what God has even done for us and end up being distant from God even though we use his name for everything and do all of this religious stuff. The next good thing that came of it was that it grounded my ministry and especially this stage of my journey in seminary. As much as we can sit and talk about God in the cloistered halls of academia we really do not know him until we have his compassion and serve others. I actually would recommend that all seminary students do some time in the hood as part of the required curriculum. You can definitely learn a lot!

The End of a Quarter at Seminary

I am grateful to God for the opportunity to go to seminary. I never was that motivated in school even though I aced every exam (I didn't do the homework so I got by with C's). Now I am motivated and energized and acing everything. It is clear that I am supposed to be here and this is where my heart fully comes alive. After the first quarter is over I have ended up with more questions than answers about God and his ways. Things that I assumed are now being questioned and refined. Here are a few of those things some of which are very general and vague to specific:

1. What is original sin and does it make you guilty even before you have done anything?

2. Do we as humans have souls or are we spirited bodies? (Swallow that one)

3. If God is a spirit and spirits do not have bodies can we call God a he or a she?

4. If Christ suffered and Christ is God does God suffer?

5. Is Christianity compatible with evolutionism in any form?

6. What do I mean when I say the word "God"?

7. How does homosexuality relate to the concept of human beings as the image of God?

8. Is the Bible inerrant (without error) in all of its words and letters?

These questions are the beginning of a long journey through the depths of a neverending attempt at proclaiming a faithful yet not final word about God and his ways with man which some people call theology.

Why I took off the google ads

In this day and age I have seen some shameless schemes for profit. These schemes were not suprising from the world but also from the church. I think the use of religion for profit is deplorable for our day and age as much as it was for the apostle Paul in his day. There have been numerous things sold in the name of religion. In the reformation days it was relics-the goatskin of John the baptist, St. Thomas' finger. Nowadays it's books, videos, holy water, a piece of the cross. Now I have nothing wrong with paying for the cost of ministry and I believe a worker is worthy of their hire but where do we draw the line? I mean there are pastors with private jets and rolls royces and multimillion dollar estates while people are starving not only in Africa but in our own country. It saddens me that this is happening in the church and we defend it through a bunch of convoluted theology and scripture prooftexting.

When I started this blog I wanted to just get my thoughts out to as many people as possible and I have always toyed with the idea of making money from it. With that in mind I put google ads on there. I didn't make one red cent and the stuff that was coming up in the ads was sometimes questionable and often misrepresented my views on particular subjects. So I took them off in an effort to truly become authentic as I engage the blogosphere.

In that same vein I will soon have a paypal link for donations to my seminary education. This is more in line with the way things should work in the church. "Freely you have received, freely give." I think we should make it our aim not to align ourselves with corporate greed which I believe is one of the biggest most pervasive evils in our society. Tall Skinny Kiwi has written an excellent post on the topic of generosity vs hoarding called Wikinomics and Mission

On being self critical

"Who am I? This or the other?
Am I both at the same time? In public, a hypocrite and by
myself a contemptible whining weakling? Who I really am,
you know me, I am thine O God!"-Dietrich Boenhoffer Who am I?

It is interesting to me how excruciatingly difficult it is to be self critical. In a way being too self critical erodes self confidence. It puts you in a place where you question everything. You become like a lot of people I know. You know the type. Frogs hopping from one lillypad to the next and never settling down on anything. Being too self critical gets you to become a spectator in a world that is doubtfully real at best. On the other hand without self criticism we commit the same sin as our spiritual parents and desire to become like "gods". How many times have you heard someone justify their position and how right they are with god? Whether it is going to Indonesia as a missionary or prophesying that a whole city was wiped out in a hurricane because of homosexuality it can all be defended from criticism with the line "Because God told me."

I believe God speaks but I also believe that sometimes and often most of the time we have spiritual earwax and the white noise of this world, our flesh, and satan get in the way of what he is saying. Sometimes it is so powerful that all we hear is a low murmur instead of that still small voice. We end up hearing ourselves and get caught up in some really elusive particulars when all we really can say is we "see through a glass darkly" Most of the time this attitude is pervasive among the religious but with that being said it is also a widespread disease among humanity because most of humanity is religious. from Bill Maher and his misinformed although very much needed critique of popular religion to the religious right and their unbalanced perspective of Christian faith and politics. It seems to me that what we all need including this blogger is a healthy dose of humility and self criticism. Maybe if we engaged in that more we would chafe so much when others criticize us but understand that now we know in part but in the God's realized kingdom we will know fully even as we are fully known.

Reasons not to go to seminary

You will go into debt

You may lose your faith or at least dampen your faith

You will spend hours and hours researching, thinking, and writing

You may acquire tons of knowledge that you will never use

You will not necessarily be prepared for ministry

You will meet sinful, arrogant, and hypocritical seminary students

You may become arrogant

You won't necessarily know where God wants you to serve

You will not escape from the real world

You can become insulated from those who don't know Christ

Reasons to go to seminary

You can learn alot about God

You can meet very interesting people

You can get BJ's indian curry every wednesday or thursday

You can get an MA, MDiv, or PhD

You may need to go in order to be ordained

You can learn to articulate yourself eloquently

You can learn to back up your theological claims with well done research

You can hear world renowned professors and speakers

You can save yourself from repeating age old heresy

You can connect with the world's brightest minds and the current and future pastors of the church

The image of God and being made in the image of God

Is there a difference between our being made in the image of God and Christ being the image of God? This question challenges us on many levels:

The ontological/functional level. Is the image of God a part of our being still or as Christians do we live in the image of God: Christ

The gender level. Is the image of God to be equated with being male and female? If so then how is Christ male and female?

The relational level. If we all possess at the least a faint trace of being made in the image of God then what does this mean for those who are outside of Christ?

Obama is President. What now?

I have been in a daze from school, work, and baby so I haven't done any wild partying in honor of Obama's victory. I am very proud and I am glad that there is a black man who is President of the United States. It is also cool that this was not just a victory for black folks but for the rest of the world. America is now seen again as the place where there is equal opportunity no matter who you are. That is one of the most exciting things about the Presidency and something to celebrate. One thing that I have been pondering since the election is what do we do now? Obama is not the Messiah and we do not pray for his kingdom to come. So in light of that I think there are some things we need to be about as Christians in the political/social sphere:

1. We need to heal rifts and be peacemakers between political parties, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. This is not about one party, one ethnicity, or one sexual orientation. We as Christians need to align ourselves with Christ more than anything and Christ wants shalom for all people. Blessed are the peacemakers!

2. We need to vote, march, and be active in creating a holistic vision of life based on the kingdom of God. It is not up to the president but it is on us. We must as Gandhi said "Be the change that we want to see in the world"

3. We need to discuss and brainstorm and figure out what we as the church believe about major political and social issues without buying into the politics of certain groups. This means we need to hear both sides of the issue as well as seek to develop a consistent hermeneutic for our day and age.

Is there anything else that we should add to this list? Let me know. I am open to suggestions.

Clarifications of my political positions

In my last posts I let everyone know I was voting for Obama because in my opinion his approach is holisitc, humble, and relational. I did not let you know what that means:

Holistic. I believe this country is very polarized. Right and left. Republican and democrat. Religous and nonreligous. As a black male I have been a witness to many of the problems in America and they are not onesided issues. For all of those who are pro-life I want to ask you one question: Were you pro-life when many of the kids in my neighborhood grew up without a father and many of the guys and girls died in drive bys? Where were you? Maybe after going to the mall you went to church to worship your "god" while others who didn't have that privilege were asking God "Why?" If you were so pro-life then you would have been in the hood trying to change some things instead of raising money to go overseas and appear "holy"

Humble. Many people have said how can you say Obama is humble? I answer back with another question "How come when a black man is confident and outspoken he is arrogant?" Obama is not beyond pride but I know he approaches issues as if he doesn't have all the answers and he just wants to do the best job that he can. That's all any of us can do.

Relational. I am for a president who can relate to more than just white people. I think Mccain represents an old version of America that is WASP. America is now not only multicultural but multireligous and Obama takes that into consideration. When asked who he would turn to for advice he mentioned his wife and his grandma. Some people took that as a sign of weakness. I see it as a sign of strength. Although they are not experts (although Michelle can hold her own) they are moral checks on his life. If you can't trust your wife then what the heck does that say about your family. I think it sets an example for not being a lone ranger with all of the supposedly right info and doing your own thing. This is so opposite of our latest presidential regime under Bush.

One more question especially for Vineyard folks

I was just about to go get something to drink and start working on my assignments when another burning question that needs to be answered came to me:

How can global theology play a role in the Vineyard a movement that wants to break out of the suburban white mold and relate to other ethnic groups? I think this is significant because John Wimber challenged the Western world with his teaching on power evangelism and power healing to break out of the rational western worldview. The question is "Have we really broken out of it? Is there something else that needs to happen...something else that needs to change? What are your thoughts?

Questions about the Future of Global Theology

As with all theology I have come from the symposium with more questions than answers. Here are a few of my questions:

What role does the diversity of global theology have to play in a multiethnic theology for North America? Most of the talk in multiethnicity has been in regard to ecclesiology or missiology. How do we hammer out a theology or a christology for a multiethnic setting?

What role does global theology have to play in speaking to ethnic theology in North America (black, chicano native american etc.)? Can they challenge and contribute in certain areas?

How can global theology speak to non-western social injustice and racism i.e. black vs hispanic, japanese vs. korean, chinese vs. japanese, etc.? How is our theology attached to our identity in unhealthy ways?

These are just a few questions and starting points for further dialogue. Overall it was an exciting event although I was half asleep from being up last night working on my paper for systematics 1. Come to think of it I better get some time in before work.

Future of Global theology notes

Well I still never asked anyone what a symposium is but I experienced one. My experience says it is when professors write papers on a particular topic, share their thoughts and other professors respond to them. So this one was on the topic of global theology and also was connected to the publishing of the Global Dictionary of Theology. I couldn't afford it even with the 40% discount but it sounds great.

So here are my key observations:

Global theology is not a universal theology or a theology of sameness or homogeneity.

It is not just adding more voices but adding more voices to the conversation. When these voices are added then helpful critiques and contributions will result.

Dr. Ogbu Kalu of Mccormick Theological Seminary of Chicago presented on the issue of violence is a major issue in Africa and for the world. In Africa it is connected intimately with religion. A friend and I were just talking about this issue yesterday in light of the Ethiopian context where Pentecostal Protestant Christians are persecuted by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and Muslims. Clearly religous violence is not a theological matter but a matter of identity and social justice.

Simon Chan of Trinity Theological College in Singapore presented on global theology as opposed to the mainline protestant theology. He talked about how global theology particularly in asian and african contexts has something to contribute to the non-western world particularly in the areas of primal spirituality, veneration of ancestors, and sacramental theology.

Primal spirituality=How does this emphasis on primal spirituality help us speak to the other spiritualities of North America i.e. New Age

Veneration of ancestors=How does this inform our understanding of the communion of the saints (our connection to the body of Christ around the world and throughout time)?

Sacramental theology=How does this inform our worship where most of the world uses the physical in their spirituality (beads, prayer cloths, holy water, holy oil)?


He also offered a critique of the Evangelical Manifesto saying it basically was an attempt to gain recognition and respect from those outside the church. He said that it was an example of a lack of nerve. I have not read the evangelical manifesto but you can check it out here Evangelical Manifesto

Future of Global theology symposium

Today I am about to go to the Future of Global Theology symposium. Never mind I have no idea what symposium really means. I know a bunch of expert get together and talk. This one is going to be great because there are so many issues on the table as theology and the Christian faith are moving more towards the Southern hemisphere in places like Asia, Africa, And Latin America. The speakers are Simon Chan, Ogbu Kalu, Veli-Matti Karkainnen, and Juan Martinez. These guys have not only been around the world but they have been around the world with God. I will post notes and my thoughts soon.

The Coming election and the role of a Christian 2

This current election has two candidates who represent not only different politics but different worldviews. There is one worldview that is arrogant, prides itself on being an expert, and is very narrowminded and compartmentalized. There is another worlview represented by the other candidate that is humble, prides itself on being in relationship, and is holistic in it's approach to issues. This to me represents not only old America and new America but also old Christianity and new Christianity. They are basically the same but the approach is different. Right now I want to go with the candidate who represents the second worldview. Humble, relational, holistic. This is the direction that I as a Christian want to go in and the direction I pray that my fellow Christian and the whole of the nation goes in.

By now you probably know who I am voting for and I am not voting for him because he is black. Although that is a factor. The main reason is because I am tired of the way things are in this country-which is a great country. I am sick of rich white men running the show and we have to pay the price for their arrogance and greed. Jesus is not about that agenda. It's time for change!

The Coming election and the role of a Christian 1

I recently had a close call on Sunday afternoon while I was on the phone with a friend Julian. Some democratic party supporter came to the door and after a few seconds of discussion I discovered that I needed to register since we moved to Pasadena. Monday was the deadline to register and so I immediately filled out the form so I could do my part in the current election. The question for me that has been on the table since this whole presidential campaign has been going on is "As a Christian what is my part in politics?"

Finally I am settled on an answer. It stems from the offices of Jesus as a king, priest, and prophet. These were also the major offices in the nation of Israel. These three different offices helped to guide the nation of Israel. Since they are Jesus' office I believe they are also fulfilled in us as we are a counterculture in the world. The church is to be prophetic in that it speaks to the powers that be and calls them to account to the whole word of God. I emphasize whole because there is a stream of the church that speaks out on certain things when it is in the interest of the rich but is virtually silent when it comes to the interests of the poor. In the prophetic literature it is made very clear that God is on the side of the poor and oppressed. I believe this is our role within the larger society to call our politicians to account whether they are republican or democrat, liberal or conservative. The other role that we have is to be priests. We are to intercede for our nation and especially it's leaders. We intercede knowing that they are weak and fragile men and are subject to make unwise decisions and succumb to temptation. So we bring them before God and ask for his forgiveness, guidance, and protection over them. Not because they are democrat or republican but because we are responsible for the nation's peace so the gospel can be proclaimed. The last role is that of the king. We align ourselves with Jesus role as king and extend his rule and reign into the ordinary sphere of life. To act for the kingdom is not just about healing or excorcism although those things are not bad in and of themselves. To act for the kingddom means to act responsibly by picking up a ballot and voting. We are not in control of the circumstance but we lean towards the choice that will be conducive to God's kingdom being lived out on earth. This means looking at the whole of the Biblical message with Jesus the King as our interpretive key and not political agendas-liberal or conservative.

The fact that we live in the United States our politics are pretty bipartisan and so it is hard to vote for someone who totally embodies the agenda of followers of Christ. It also is not helpful when followers of Christ are from different cultures and backgrounds which influence the issues that are most important to them but more on that later........

Revelation and authority

We protestants say that scripture is the final authority for everything. It is the "infallible rule of faith and practice". The question remains is that an ideal that we strive for or is it an absolute fact. There are so many things that go into the interpretation of scripture (culture, gender, tradition etc.) that it is hard to say that scripture is the final authority. What do you think? Is there another way to state this doctrine? Are we even starting at the right point?

No I am not a fecal maniac just a theologian!

Recently my facebook status messages have referred to baby poop. It is not my passion only my reality. Some may think that it is sacrilegous but most think it's funny. I think it suprises some how it can be related to theology but in a way that is where our real theology shows up and becomes apparent-in the "poop" of life. That is why I am going to seminary. It is because all of life is infused with traces of God and we have just begun to scratch the surface of how this affects our decisions, relationships, and emotions. Most people think when they are in the thick of things that theological reflection ceases. Well that is not true. We don't intentionally reflect when we go through our day to day business or facing a crisis. In these situations we begin to rely on our "embedded" theology. Everybody has one. Most of us are not aware of it but our embedded theology even affects the way we view diaper changing!

I HAVE BEEN ABSENT FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE FOR FAR TOO LONG. THE GOOD NEWS IS I HAVE A FUNCTIONING COMPUTER NOW! MORE BLOGS TO COME IN THE NEXT WEEK

Todd Bentley and our lack of discernment

I posted about the Lakeland Revival some weeks ago and was already leery but I did not have enough info. I just know that there is always something that we as Christians jump on without discernment. I know that God moves today. I have seen him move on me and through me but at the same time there should be a strong desire to know who God is. I don't know what happened to get so many Christians to check their minds at the door. Here is more from J. Lee Grady on what happened and is happening with Todd Bentley and Lakeland. My question is...

What caused all of these Christians-many who are well respected leaders-to not use discernment when it came to Lakeland or Todd?

"Kind of Unbiased News sources"

Here is a list of unbiased...well kind of unbiased news sources. It may help you as you follow the presidential campaign trail. Compliments of Aaron Dobruck.

ap
bbc
npr
pbs
American Public Radio
CBC

Click on these and let me know if they are truly unbiased or if you suffer from severe "biaswashing". I think these are ok since they are from Aaron. He is a cool guy. He taught me how to wear a lobster hat with style:)

What does God think of patriots?

Well I have been listening to many comment on the presidential campaign and especially questioning Obama's patriotism. This has sparked the question of whether it is ok to be Christian and a patriot? Would it have been ok in the Roman empire? In the antebellum south the Confederate soldiers would have been considered patriots? Where do we draw the line in being christians and also for our country? One of the people who come to mind as I contemplate this argument is Dietrich Boenhoffer who resisted Nazi Germany to the point of being incarcerated in a concentration camp. All of this because he was not a good patriot. As I think about my own ethnicity it is hard for me to be a patriot because every time I think of America I think slavery. How can I be a patriotic towards a country that was founded on the suffering and oppression of my ancestors? How do I reconcile that with my Christian faith? How can I be a patriotic towards a country that slaughtered my native american ancestors to near extinction? That is just my own personal contact with the lack of integrity of America. Is there a biblical precedent for not being patriotic. Maybe....read Amos 1:1-2:8

On the other hand I enjoy being able to vote, being able to write about things like this on a blog without being in danger of incarceration, I like having my own choice of what I buy and the fact that I am able to go to school or to Trader Joe's for that matter.

I guess it all boils down to integrity. I think that is why Obama has been apologizing for America. It is not that we are not a great nation but have not been consistent in maintaining our national integrity. We are not consistently righteous so why should I worship at the shrine of America. Only God is consistently righteous and that's who wins out in the end above all nations.

Objections to the Obama-Nation 3

Interestingly enough most of these objections I am hearing from conservative Christian radio. One last objection is that Obama should not be president because of his theological views. If that is the case then many of our founding fathers should not have been presidents either. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were all deists. What is a deist? Someone who believes God created everything and set it in motion yet has nothing to do with the created order. If that is not atheism dressed up in religous clothing I don't know what is. All this talk about America being a christian nation is hogwash. A little after the Revolutionary war America was only 10% christian. Is that a Christian nation? There are countries right now that missionaries consider unreached who have that many Christians. So whether Obama has his views on God downpacked is not a good evaluation of whether he will do good as president. Most Christian don't have their theology together anyway but we don't say that they are not christians or fit to do their jobs. So that's my two cents on the matter. If anyone has something to say for or against Obama let me know in the comments. I want to know what you all are thinking out there!

Peace,

Ramon

Objections to the Obama-Nation 2

Another objection to Obama being president is that he is only a good public speaker and not good on his toes in a debate. This is honestly one of the most ridiculuous arguments I have ever heard of. A president's merit and ability to fulfill the duties of his office are not contingent on his method of communicating to the public. The real issue is what is he going to do for the American people. If someone's method of communication was the real issue then Abraham Lincoln definitely should have been canned since he talked with a shrill nasal voice. If Obama can articulate his viewpoints and vision for this country in a speech better than in a debate or conversation then let the man do his thing and stop drinkin the haterade! While we are on the subject of methods of communication Obama and Mccain will be participating in a civil forum at Saddleback church with Pastor Rick Warren. It will be in a non debate format with Rick asking questions of each candidate for an hour. You can find out the times it will be aired here

Objections to the Obama-Nation 1

Should I vote for Obama because he is black? Should I vote for Obama because he is non white? Should I vote for Obama because he looks better in a suit than Mccain? Should I vote for Obama because he is an inspiring orator? I think one of the objections to Obama being president is that he is playing the "race card". What exactly is the "race" card? I think it's the card that most white candidates have been playing for the last 200 years. One of the things that we have to take into account is that when we follow someone is that we not only follow what they have done but we follow who they are. I think the problem is that there are alot of people in America today who are tired of following a middle aged or older caucasian male. 50 years ago the country would not have followed an African American male not because of their accomplishments or agenda but just because of who they were-black in pre civil rights America. Whether or not Obama is playing the "race card" is secondary to the fact that a "race card" can be played in this nation. The simple truth of the matter is that if not for the injustice and prejudice against blacks and all other non whites there would not be a "race card" to be played. Yet here we are in 2008 talking about a "race card". Obama getting the democratic nomination is a great step forward in us throwing the "race card" out the deck. Hopefully if he is voted president the "race card" will be gone and forgotten.

Children are like arrows Pt 2

Just to unpack the children as arrows thing a bit more...

Aimed at the right target. This means we are shooting them towards God's glory and not ours. Most parents are satisfied if their children are good citizens or moral people. They would love it if their sons and daughters pursued and obtained the american dream of being married, having kids, a dog, a cat, and two cars for your two story house with a two car garage. This is their glory and it doesn't take into account that ultimately God wants your children to honor him and that may mean something far different than the american dream

Backed up by sufficient power. The ways in which children will reach all that God has for them is through his power and not through just our own. We can discipline and provide and give them all the opportunities that life affords and they still can fall short of God's goals. We can Homeschool them or private school them or public school them and what they learn will be insufficient if it is not what the Holy Spirit wants to teach them. The adequate means and power for these "arrows" is the Holy Spirit and we can tap into that power when we pray for them and saturate them in the Word of God. That is sufficient power.

Released at just the right time. This digs into the heart of the matter. We are given responsibility for our children. They are ours and a stewardship from God and if being a parent is a stewardship from God then ultimately they are his. When the time is right we have to release them into his hands and trust him that they will honor him and bring him glory. For some this may be early on and for others it may be later. The key to shooting an arrow is timing and the key to raising up kids to be God honoring is timing as well. If we let go too early they will fall short of the target. If we let them go too late they will fall short of the target or totally miss it. It takes discernment to know when it is time to release them.

Just think all this from holding my firstborn son in my arms. Hmmmmmm......

Children are like arrows Pt 1

Psalm 127:4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. As I have been holding Kaydon in my arms this verse has become real for me.

Children are like arrows in many ways:

They are shaped and crafted with excellence for a specific purpose. You have to be skilled and precise when creating an arrow. A wrong mistake and it's not going anywhere. They are made with one express purpose-to shoot at the enemy.

They are valuable. It would take alot of time and attention to detail to make arrows and they were hard to come by in the ancient world. An arrow was a very precious thing and something you would not want to waste. The archers were often times the deciding factor in victory or defeat.

Knowing this children should be treated like arrows:

Aimed at a specific target-The glory of God

Backed up by sufficient power-The Holy Spirit and the power of prayer

Released at the right time-You have to know when to let go

To be continued......

Kaydon is finally here!

I am so grateful to God for our newborn son Kaydon. There is so much that I want to say but having him in my life is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I had to spell it out. So Yvette went into labor two weeks early. It was a day after we spent all day out with church, my birthday celebration at Bubba Gump's (Did u know they make u shake your booty for ice cream on your birthday?), and some errands/chores that we needed to do to get ready for Kaydon. Monday was alot of housework and Tuesday morning it was showtime! Yvette was in labor for 23 hrs and 37 min. It was something that none of us will never forget (except maybe Kaydon since his faculty for memory is still being developed.

Nas is going up against Fox News racist smears with a petition. Can anybody say "If I ruled the world"? A big shout to Nas for standing on the side of justice and a big shout to fellow Fuller student C. Wess Daniels at Gathering in Light for getting the word out first. For more of the story you can check out the hilarious and downright sarcastic Stephen Colbert Reports If you wnat to be involved you can sign the petition here

Lakeland Revival, Todd Bentley, and either/or thinking

So I have been watching this whole Lakeland Revival thing from afar. It seems to me that every couple of years or so there is some new "prophet" or "move of God" that captures our attention and I wonder is it just the result of our American consumerism and desire for more? Is it the natural outcome of a warped spirituality that always needs hype and glam to satisfy it's perverted longings. One thing that I have noticed is critics or proponents of these moves of God usually are at one extreme of the spectrum or another. I mean either Todd Bentley is an angel from heaven or satan's number one agent in the church. What if God was doing something? Personally I don't agree with the doctrine and teaching but is correct doctrine a requirement for God to move through physical healing or miracles? Isn't that what a teacher is for? If someone is off in the non essentials of Christian doctrine does this hinder the Spirit of God from moving? I mean after all there are discoveries of past doctrinal errors from many great heroes of the faith. Does that discredit the rest of their teaching? Certainly not. All that aside what do you think about the Lakeland Revival? Counterfeit or God's authentic move in America?

Some heavy light reading

I used to avoid reading novels and other sorts of fiction. I felt like if I'm going to read a book then it has to further my success in life-a very pragmatic approach. The one thing that I have learned is that through fiction we are immersed in reality. We get to taste the sins, mistakes, joys, and triumphs of ourselves and others. This has been really helpful as a pastor. Reading through the Cider House Rules or any one of Tolkien's works has brought me to a greater understanding of myself and those around me.

What are your favorite pieces of fiction? If you don't have any here is a list from Off the Agenda a blog about building church leaders. Some very good selections although there are alot of them that directly reference God or Christianity. Not that it's a bad thing but I think it's the more subtle themes in the non christian world that really illuminate the human existence.

The similarity btw moving in and a flight to Ethiopia

It can be summed up in one word: waiting

I hate plane flights in general not because I'm scared or there are terrorists on the loose out there but because you are cooped up in that box in the sky. You can't get off. So you wait. I have problems with transition and being on a plane is just a big transition. You have left your place of residence but you have not arrived at the destination. That is how I feel about moving into Fuller Housing and not starting class. There is plenty to do: new job, unpacking, closing up ministry commitments but it is not what I want to do. Just like on a plane you can watch a movie, read a book, walk around, talk to somebody (if u really like that sort of thing :) but what you really want to do; the reason why you are on the plane is because you wanted to get somewhere; a specific somewhere. So I am waiting to get to my specific somewhere: classes at Fuller. Oh Lord let September come-wait a minute-Let your kingdom come;
Let your will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven

Amen

Ok so i forgot i could blog from my cellphone. If this works then i will send pics of the baptism

Moving and baptism

Ok so I haven't blogged for a minute and I am trying to keep a steady consistent pace with it so I can keep people updated on this next season of life while me and yvette are at Fuller. Well we have been moving and it was the best move ever!!! It all got taken down to Pasadena in one day without a U-Haul or professional movers.
So we r in Fuller housing! I am starting a new job in the Fuller Library! I am memorizing the greek alphabet to pass the time (I know a bit nerdy and out there but it will pay off in the long run)!

So now we are still waiting on baby Kaydon to be born; transitioning from my role at Vineyard Xtreme, and waiting for classes to start. I say we are in a good position for the summer.

Oh yeah and while we were moving we stopped to attend the baptism of japanese members of our church. It was awesome but more on that later....

The Future of Hip Hop

So if you haven't heard of Wale you need to...I haven't been excited about hip hop for a while. Most of it sounds the same..it's the same old topics. Killing, stealing, stripping, jewelry. I think we have been blessed with some great albums in recent years from Nas, Kanye, Common, Jay Z, The Roots but these guys have been outstanding among garbage. Now with Wale we have great rhymes and a new sound. He fuses hip hop with go-go music. If you don't know what that is it doesn't matter I gurantee you will like it. Anyway download his mixtape for free The MixTape about Nothing

This one is inspired by Seinfeld and Julia Louis Dreyfuss is on it. Enjoy!!!

The good side of Eckhart Tolle

Ok so just in case some may think I am a narrow minded fundamentalist basher of other religous views here is my upside to Eckhart Tolle's book. I think the church can take some lessons from his overall approach in presenting his brand of spirituality. Eckhart Tolle's New Earth has become popular and has drawn people in for several reasons and I think he has a beat on the spiritual terrain of our society.

1. Newness vs Old dogma

In the book he presents spirituality as an evolution and this is the next new step in that evolution. We are fascinated by the new, We have thrived off of an economy of new and improved and upgrades and yet we still want to connect with the old and so the book repackages the teachings of different religions into something new that everyone can benefit from.

2. Secret/Esoteric vs. Open Accessibility

He presents this new spirituality as a secret that has emerged in many faith traditions and we just need to tap into it. This spirituality is not as simple as Four spiritual laws or five simple steps. There is a sense of mystery to it and an appeal to those who want to be part of the group that is "in on the secret".

3. Rest vs. Activity

The main point of the book is letting go of the ego and not striving or complaining. This is what America is longing for. We are suffering from overload on all fronts. Whether it is work overload, school overload, information overload or even church overload we are screaming to get off this rollercoaster of activity and so The New Earth is giving the option of at least having peace and rest in an inner sense.

4. Holistic vs. Individualistic

The New Earth is the title and I think it is apropo because it is not just focused on just you as an individual getting better or being at peace. The book proposes that if everyone lived this way we would all be at peace. There would be an alleviation of hunger and war and rampant suffering. So it looks at spirituality holistically as something that affects not only you but the world you live in. It is a far cry from what the modern evangelical church is focused on. Most of what you hear is about pie in the sky, a good marriage, great finances and guess what? It's all for you!!!

So those are my thoughts on it. I wonder how we can incorporate these approaches in evangelism or disicpleship or preaching? Hmmmmmm....

The Holy Spirit is in the building!

That is one thing that I have seen in the black church. I believe this is where the Vineyard genetic code and the black church meet. Growing up pentecostal I have seen some kooky stuff! People all of a sudden believing they could play the piano without any training. Then they get up in the middle of the church service and try and it sounds like a cat walking across the keys! I have seen holy laughter..I mean real from the belly laughter....the kind you would expect at a Chris Rock show.

I have also seen demonic manifestations and excorcism firsthand. I also saw my pastor pray for someone and they got up out of their wheelchair and walked. So no doubt the Holy Spirit was in effect. I think what the Vineyard brings to this equation is putting a cap on the weirdness (Naturally supernatural) and making sure that all of the gifts are in operation (Everybody gets to play!!!)

News on the Ethiopian front

If you didn't already know I am highly connected to Ethiopia and the Vineyard church planting movement that is going on there. What a wonderful place full of wonderful people! I am missing the injera and tibbs as I speak.

Here is a report from Jim Pool on his recent trip there on behalf of our Vineyard Missions Partnership. Check it out here

How Jesus finds his way into Oprah's book club?

I just finished reading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth and I am peeved. What am I upset about? Well it is definitely not his take on spirituality. I am not upset about his thoughts on peace and not having a war mind set. I am not upset about ending suffering in the world or even the very humanistic purposes of the book i.e. a better way of life, personal happiness. What I am upset about is this: Twisting Jesus words and the the words of the Bible and misrepresenting and employing scriptures to his own advantage. It is one thing to have a thought or idea but this book is in Oprah’s book club and I am upset that mainstream America thinks this is cool. That’s where I have to write and let out the fire “shut up in my bones” and I’m not talking about last night’s veggie burrito :)

So here are the specifics that stood out to me:

On page 9 he says sin is to miss the point of human existence. Sin is not about missing the point of human existence. It is missing the mark of God’s righteousness

On page 13 he says goodness lies within us. We do not have any goodness innate within ourselves. It lies only in God and what goodness he brings to our lives

On page 16 He supports Gnosticism as a valid form of Christianity when for the first two centuries after Christ Gnosticism was one of the opponents of Christianity because it denied Jesus physical incarnation and resurrection

He says on page 56 that the peace of God that passes all understanding is a letting go of the ego and realizing that you are I am. The peace of God that passes all understanding comes when we pray and give our requests to the I am

On page 71 he says that Jesus was saying that everybody is truth by stating I am the way, the truth and the life in John 14:6. Jesus was not talking about everybody or he would have said everybody. He was speaking of himself

On page 234 He says Jesus in Luke 17:21 was speaking of people searching for inner space. The context says he was speaking on the Pharisees expectation of a messianic king to restore Israel.

On page 303 He says when Jesus claims he can do nothing of himself he is speaking of enthusiasm. Jesus is not talking about enthusiasm he is saying he depends on God the Father.

I think this upsets me because this book is being read and devoured by mainstream America-church and unchurched. Do we burn the book? No. Do we string up the author? No. I think my concern is more on educating people in churches to be more discerning and more biblically literate. Is anybody else with me on this one?

Prince Caspian,Telemarines origin, and the English Spirit

Ok so telemarines..tele=distant+marine=sea....

They spoke with spanish accents. They were a threat to the kingdom of Narnia....

So much of a threat that they could not be beaten except for a supernatural incident involving water.....

I could be reading into things here but it sounds like the bad guys in Narnia and the way they were defeated bears a striking resemblance to the English war with Spain in the 1500's under Elizabeth. I haven't read the book but was this an attempt of CS Lewis to inspire his fellow English patriots during wartime. I haven't read the book but if you don't know the whole story on the war with Spain check out the movie Elizabeth.

I think this may be something in the english collective memory. Just like Exodus is implanted in the Israelite or Hebrew collective memory. Let me know what you think.

Chaos and creation

We are about to move in to our housing at Fuller! D day is in two weeks and then we wait for Yvette to bring Kaydon into the world. This is going to be a crazy year but that is what God does when he does a new thing. He set a precedent in the beginning. It says the earth was without form and darkness covered the face of the deep. There was chaos and then there was creation. That's the perspective I have in the midst of all of the transition. The bills, the calls to make, the things to pack, the goodbyes, the hellos are all material for the Spirit of God to hover over as we anticipate God speaking and brining light.

To all of you who are friends and loved one we will keep you posted throughout the move and our new transition into Fuller Seminary. Also pray for me to get a new laptop. I'm going mac now. It's time for a new creation even on the technology front!

Tim Duncan at Aunt Kizzy's

Me and Yvette wanted to celebrate yesterday and we decided to go to this sol food place called Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch. It has been frequented by tons of black celebrities and they have left pictures on the walls. We went on an off night (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday). So we didn't expect to see a celebrity but right there in the corner grubbin down on some chicken and collard greens or something was you guessed it NBA All Star and MVP San Antonio's own .Tim Duncan. He is playing the Lakers this week and I don't know if collard greens and rice and gravy is going to help him against Kobe and the gang.

Oh yeah forget what I said about the Soul Food kitchen. Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch tops them in quality and celebrity appearances. Although Kanye did visit the Soul Food kitchen.

Worship and the black soul

The next important value to the Vineyard is contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit. I think this really starts getting prickly on both the black and non black sides. Black culture is a culture of expression that goes all the way back to the soil of Africa. One of the things that is repulsive about the Vineyard to many African americans is the worship. One of the reasons is because African Americans relate to God differently than white americans. The appeal of Vineyard worship is intimacy and that smacks against the appeal of most African American worship which is celebration. I think the black soul wants to have the freedom to express not only intimate love to a friend but honor to a King much like the tribes in Africa gave honor to a warrior after returning to battle.

That being said I also believe that the black soul is in need of learning what it means to be intimate with God and to hear from him and to be in connection with the tender side. There is a sensationalism and a hype around God and there is a false expectation for a miracle from the King every day of the week instead of the loving reality of walking with a friend through the mundane details of life.

I think with artists such as Martha Munizzi and Israel Houghton the way is being paved for a new style of music that takes the good from both styles and perspectives

The real jeremiah wright and black theology

When will the world learn that a spade is a spade is a spade? This whole Jeremiah Wright thing has been taken out of context in the name of worshipping the idol of America and patriotism. God is not for one nation and when one nation is responsible for bloodshed and crimes against humanity then that one nation will get what is coming to it. The whole 9/11 tragedy was the harvest of seeds of greed and exploitation planted on foreign soil. Innocent people were attacked and we pray for the families who are still experiencing the sadness and loss. Why Because America's chickens have come home to roost.

This is what black people and other oppressed ethnicities have been feeling for years. This is a great country but it is not greater than the justice of God. Jeremiah Wright did an interview with Bill Moyers. Unless you are just wrapped up in America so much that you can't distinguish oppression and hatred from baseball and apple pie then your eyes will be opened to the truth. Check it out here

Clear and accurate biblical teaching

Well when it comes to this aspect of the genetic code I would have to say that there is a great need in the African American community for clear and accurate biblical teaching. I grew up in the pentecostal church and I have seen it all :) Doomsday prophets predicting that Reagan, Bush, and now Oprah are the antichrist. They skipped Bill Clinton...I wonder why? I have seen people claiming that Jesus was rich and had an entourage larger than Lil Wayne's. It is just out of hand! I think this younger generation is in need of clear accurate biblical teaching. I don't think that means bland and dry teaching. When you speak to black people you gotta come with expression and passion but with that passion we are in desperate need of the truth.

Fuller cost

We are planning to attend Fuller Theological Seminary in the fall and we are going in on a wing and a prayer. It cost so much money and they do not give scholarships to first year students. There is some other money but compared to what Fuller costs it doesn't really make a dent. At least not with our financial situation. If anybody knows of any money for school that's out there let me know.

The Vineyard Genetic Code and black culture

I have taken the task of actually thinking about the Vineyard Genetic Code and how that can be or whether it can be contextualized for the African American worship experience and culture. In order to do that I think it is important to really get a handle on the Vineyard's particular genetic code.

-clear, accurate, biblical teaching

-contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit

-the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation

-an active small group ministry

-ministry to the poor, widows, orphans, and those who are broken

-physical healing with emphasis on signs and wonders as seen in the book of Acts

-a commitment to missions-church planting at home and world missions abroad

-unity within the whole body of Christ; a relationship with other local churches

-evangelistic outreach

-equipping the saints in areas such as discipleship, ministry, serving, giving, finances, family, etc.

These are very biblical values. So biblical that you cannot even imagine why they would not fit any culture. I think one thing to digest is that although these words on the page seem very clear they are meant to be lived out and practiced and once they are practiced the tendency is to make the practice the value and the meaning of it gets muddled up. So one of things we have to make clear is the meaning of these different values. That's a hard thing to do and I don't know if I would be qualified for it.

A baby boy, gender, and personhood

I am happy to announce that in august a testosterone filled Mayo will be arriving to us. That's right we are having a boy. We are still figuring out the names. It's kind of hard because we were really sure the baby was a girl. I am feeling a little more weight now that we know the gender. Partly because now the fact that we are having a baby seems more real. I think this has to do with gender defining alot of our personhood. You don't really know how to address the baby until you find out the gender. Calling the baby "it" seems wrong and now that we say "he" it makes it more definite that this is a real person coming into the world. Another reason I feel the weight is because now that I know he is a boy I feel more responsible for his development and growth in being a man. Well I guess this gives me a good motivation to get back into sports and physical stuff :)

Black people in the Vineyard church

Will black people ever truly fit in the Vineyard church context? In my opinion this is a very tough issue. Black people are kind of not hard to miss anywhere by virtue of our physical appearance. That was one of the advantages of using us as slaves-easier to catch the runaway. If a black person put on different clothes and talked differently there was still the hair, the lips and nose, the skin tone that made us stand out like George Bush in a Ludacris video.

Physical appearance aside is there something in the DNA of the Vineyard movement that totally does not fit the black culture? Can the black culture with it's appreciation of wearing the best gear (clothes) and being emotionally expressive (particularly pentecostal church culture) fit and gel with the Vineyard? These are just some of the issues that need to be unpacked. Share your thoughts with me

Seize the Day and can't we all just get along!

We have been preparing for a conference called Seize the Day! It is focused on already existing or those who desire to become multiethnic multicultural churches and ministries. Also in line with that is our preaching series at Vineyard Xtreme called "Can't we all just get along?" This is a huge issue considering our current presidential election. My question is how come this topic didn't become "hot" any sooner? An even better question is How come the church is not tackling this issue in a more intentional way with the gospel?

A mad mad month

It's been a hectic season for the Mayos and their madness. Filing taxes. Going on vacation. Applying for Fuller Seminary. Yes I said applying for seminary! I am applying for special student status at Fuller. That means somebody who does not have a bachelors (like myself) can go to seminary provided they have substantial ministry and work experience. So getting that done as well as being away in Philly for vacation has been a wild ride! I will blog more regularly now that things have calmed down.

A little yeast and sixty pounds of dough

We have moved on to the next parable Jesus introduces which is the parable of the yeast. It was very interesting that in my boy Jason's bible it says that the yeast was mixed into sixty pounds of dough. That is alot of dough. You could make alot of tortillas or some kind of cake! Sock it to me! Chocolate! Pound cake anyone? Whatever kind of cake it is for more than just a nuclear family of four. This is for the relatives. Ya mama'n'em. The neighbors. Ya cousin earl with the lazy eye and green suit circa 1972. This is all about abundance and that is what the kingdom is about abundance. That being said I will leave you with this thought:


The kingdom of God is a hidden force in the world that will in time affect everything. Everything. Everything. Say it again "Everything."

Size doesn't matter

Matthew 13:31,32

The size of the kingdom doesn't matter. It is not about the big grandiose whiz-bang- flash things, It starts of small. I think this flies in the face of our American super size culture. We are always waiting for the next BIG THING! The next BIG THING actually has a small beginning. I think we are impatient with small beginnings. The kingdom of God isn't necessarily about big crusades or mass evangelism or huge powerpoint projector screens. It is about the small and subtle. It is a smile. An embrace. A good tip to your server at a restaurant. That is the seed of the kingdom and soon it will grow into a tree where the birds of the air nest in its branches (Daniel 4:19-22)

Eternal Sunshine in my Spotless mind

I just got a chance to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind and I think it is wonderful. Jim Carrey did an awesome job and he finally got my respect as a dramatic actor. Kate Winslet did great as well. You could never guess that wasn't her real accent.

The movie really made me think about all the past relationships I've had and my marriage to Yvette. I think it is truly better to go ahead and experience love with all of it's hurts and joys than to be a blank slate. I think this is the heart of God when he made humanity. He foresaw the pain that he would endure in creating us with the capacity to choose him or something else in the place of him. Seeing all the sin he chose to love. I am awestruck by the reality of that kind of love.

The title is from an Alexander Pope poem. Here is the stanza and it is beautiful:

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd;
Labour and rest, that equal periods keep;
"Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep;"
Desires compos'd, affections ever ev'n,
Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav'n.
Grace shines around her with serenest beams,
And whisp'ring angels prompt her golden dreams.
For her th' unfading rose of Eden blooms,
And wings of seraphs shed divine perfumes,
For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring,
For her white virgins hymeneals sing,
To sounds of heav'nly harps she dies away,
And melts in visions of eternal day.

The Story of my Stuff Pt 2

Well here is an inventory of the things I purchased in Ethiopia:

1. A jebena (ethiopian coffeepot)
2. two coffee mugs with the story of Solomon and Sheba painted on them
3. bag of unroasted coffee beans (for Mimi an ethiopian lady in our church)
4. bag of roasted coffee
5. white scarf with ethiopian flag colors on the edges

This was pretty good. I say I did ok in managing my consumerism. It can creep up on you.

Soul food is the gospel!

Last night me and Yvette went out to the Soul Food Kitchen in Inglewood. Short ribs, catfish, greens, red beans and rice were all on deck. That was some real deal soul food although there are some better places around LA. Just ask the chowhound. It's funny because it got us to start talking about how good here Mom's neckbones were and led me to strange yet true discovery: Neckbones are gross. Who wants to eat the neck of an animal? We realized too that there isn't much meat on a neckbone but it is considered a delicacy. Soul food is an amazing example of redemption. Taking what was discarded and turning it into treasure. That's what the gospel is. A despised, rejected man from an obscure town in an oppressed nationkilled as a criminal who rose from the dead as King and Savior of the world. This makes me want to eat catfish and red beans and rice before every communion!

growing a beard...

they say having a beard is a symbol of wisdom. Many biblical figures wore beards. John Wimber wore a beard. Santa Claus. Gandalf. I don't know. It makes my chin itch. Maybe I will try to keep it if I can manage it.

trying to make money blogging

I have been online for 2 hours trying to figure out paypal and google adsense. You guessed it: I'm trying to make some money blogging. Two things about that come to mind:

1. I need to post more frequently (6-12x's a day)

2. I need to create multiple blogs for multiple streams of income.

3. I need some better technology to post fast and efficiently

Can I do it? It's possible. Just ask the Problogger

The world of the 1st century church

It is amazing to me how similar in worldview and cultural terrain Ethiopia is to the mediterranean world of the 1st century:

1. Word of mouth advertising is used for good purposes or bad. This means that word of mouth can help to plant a church as well as persecute a church.

2. Persecution is very real as many of our Ethiopian friends have experienced being beaten or thrown in jail

3. Agriculture is the main business of the day. The words of the Bible come alive as pictures of threshing wheat, harvesting, oxen plowing etc. are lived out before your very eyes

4. Belief in the supernatural is prevalent. People will turn to witchcraft in a heartbeat to cure their problems. This creates opportunities for power encounters with God.

5. Family bonds are strong. When the head of a family comes to Christ the whole family comes to Christ.

You can see why the gospel spread rapidly in the 1st century and also why it is on the move in countries south of the equator. The question is how can we see more churches planted and the gospel spread rapidly in the Northern Hemisphere? Are there opportunities in our culture which we haven't tapped into?

Derrick and his verbal paintings

My friend Derrick is coming out with his poetry book Verbal Paintings. He is a very creative guy who loves God. His book signing will be in April at Awakenings coffeehouse (more info to come) He has been a faithful supporter of our church's coffeehouse Awakenings so I have to give him his props. Check out his webpage Derrick Engoy

Afromatics

I have just taken up a fascinating study of a new subject: Afromatics. In the realm of Afromatics meeting someone at 4:00pm means that you will meet them 2 hours later at 6:00pm. It means that a 90$ room becomes a 120$ room because you are a foreigner.

It also means that 7 churches plus 1 more equals 20 because the gospel is spreading like wildfire in africa. Right now at this very moment there are 20 vineyard churches in Ethiopia and it happened in a matter of 1 year. That is some amazing growth. I'm just praying that God gives us the strength and the resources to keep up with the Afromatics.

Peeing on walls

This guy says that real men pee on walls. I guess Ethiopia is full of real men and this time I joined them. When you gotta go you gotta go. Sorry no pictures.

The story of Stuff and my way of packing

I am all about less is more. Except when it comes to books. If it wasn't for my generous heart we would probably need a separate storage facility for books. Althought they do cause problems when it comes to packing for trips. Other than books I am a pretty simple guy. So I packed light for my trip to Ethiopia but I forgot about needing extra room for when I buy stuff. Although there is a conviction now when I buy stuff.Probably because of the ideas being propogated through this movie The Story of Stuff

So I will take a tally of the things I buy in the Mercato and you can be the judge of whether I need all this stuff. Talk to you when I get back.

African leaders converge in Addis!

Kibaki will be in Addis Ababa for an AU meeting? Will I get a chance to meet him? Probably not butthe rest of the African union will and they do not want his autograph. They will be discussing this past election and how the ODM his opposition insists it was stolen from them. Read more about it here

On another note I will be in Addis in on Monday to visit churches and do a one day workshop on equipping the saints to hear from God. We will be visiting the rural churches started by the Vineyard in Ethiopia so it should be fun. We have a SAT phone, landcruisers, and we will be drinking plenty of coffee!

Check out my 2007 Ethiopia pics

300,000 displaced and a member of parliament shot dead

Now they are sending in Koffi Annan to resolve the tension in Kenya Read more about it here Over 300,000 displaced persons and a member of parliament shot dead outside his home all because of bad politics and ethnic tension. The youth are not going to take it and they have taken matter into their own hands. I think this is a warning to america and what we could become....

On another note there are some Vineyard believers in Kenya who could use our support right now. If you want to give money to this cause email me or leave your info in my comments.



ASSOCIATION OF VINEYARD IN KENYA
A description of needs and responses

Overall
The situation in Kenya remains tense and skirmishes are ongoing principally in the rift valley, but also in the poorer slums in urban areas of Nairobi. The estimates are currently that due to the clashes they are over 300,000 displaced person in various parts of the country. The Government has mandate the Red cross to be the central co-ordinating agency for relief efforts and has stated that they intend to close refugee camps in a month. We as the Vineyard have needs amongst our congregation for short term survival needs and even bigger challenges of resettlement, reconciliation and healing.

While we cannot fill all the needs, we ask our friends brother and sisters in the movement to join hands in assisting us in at least trying to help.

Specific Needs
We have numerous request for assistance across our churches with some places having dozens of displaced families squatting on already very meager resources of our pastoral staff and other where conflict has forced dramatic loss of livelihood and households. The saddest and most violent event was happened to a leader of one of our Vineyard churches who lost 3 member of his family in a single horrific evening. The leader received call that violence had erupted in a very calm part of the country, his two brothers rushed to try and rescue their father and mother and in the process were killed. The pain and needs are beyond comprehension, this request is for us all to play a small part in trying to get us past this.

Response
We have described in part a very small effort to reach out to some families in displaced areas in Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega, Kitale, Kisumu, Kisii and Mombasa. Our estimate is that we can realistically help a maximum of 500 families, which as a percentage of the 300,000 families is minute. It is our knowledge that this token help is a way for us all to demonstrate be involved and a part of the process. It is our assessment that we will need to supply beddings (mattresses & blankets), clothes, food stuffs (rice,maize flour, cooking oil, vegetables, sugar, maize, beans, potatoes).

In addition in limited cases there will be some medicine requirments, money for transport back to their homes or relocation altogether.

We do not have a plan or a budget for the long term issues of resettlement and community reconciliation. It is our wish to make a world wide vineyard appeal for ideas, strategies and most importantly prayers on Gods leading and wisdom on how we can make a contribution to this most central and vital aspect of the emergency in Kenya.

Yours Faithfully,

Noah Gitau
For: AVC Kenya



Short Term Response Budget:

The following is the required amount to be able to meet the above needs:

Food Stuffs Kshs. 545,000.00
Clothes Kshs. 75,000.00
Beddings Kshs. 510,000.00
Medicine (Hop. exp.) Kshs. 105,000.00
Transport exp. Kshs. 66,000.00
Logistics/ Misc. Kshs. 40,000.00
-------------------------------
Total expences Kshs. 1,341,000.00 (Usd 19,720)
---------------------------------


The above budget is enough to provide for the basic necessities for between two to four months for the above families.

As a matter of urgency we need Kshs. 210,000.00 (Usd 3,088) to buy food in a weeks time.

We ask for your prayers on this and if you and your congregation to be a part of this short term response. We ask for your wisdom and ideas of how we could promote peace, harmony and reconciliation in communities by sharing God’s word.

Yours


Noah Gitao
For and On Behalf of Vineyard

The big d's art attack

Hey check out my friend Debbie's art on the web