Summer Reading

I have been enjoying my reading: this week I finished “The Shack” by Paul Young and “The Lost History of Christianity” by Philip Jenkins. I have also been regularly reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and Pauls’ defense of his ministry (2 Corinthians 2-6) -- such rich and significant portions of the New Testament. I have now completed my memorization of Colossians 3:1-17 and have enjoyed that process of deeply saturating my mind and heart with that great text.

You've probably heard about The Shack, a work of Christian fiction. It tells the story of Mack, a man who experiences a terrible loss in his life and then wrestles to come to terms with God and his faith. The heart of the book (without giving too much away) presents a highly imaginative and creative encounter between Mack and God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Through a series of conversations and experiences, he grapples to make sense of his tragic loss. This book challenged some of my perceptions of God in some healthy ways -- it probably overplays the personal, individualistic aspect of our relationship with God but it also provides a good corrective to perceptions of God as remote and uninvolved with the creation.

A favorite quote (God speaking of his creation to Mack):
Mack: You do great work!
God: Thank you, Mack, and you've seen so little. For now most of what exists in the universe will be seen and enjoyed only by me, like special canvasses in the back of an artist's studio, but one day..."

I like to think I've seen some beautiful places on planet earth. But the above quote reminded me that earth is an absolutely miniscule portion of God's universe -- think of the incredible vistas and places we've never seen that God has prepared!

***

Philip Jenkins' historical work The Lost History of Christianity is subtitled "The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia -- and How It Died." It challenges the West-centered view of church history that presumes that the significant and interesting things that have gone on in Christianity originated only in Europe. Jenkins describes how for at least 1000 years (in some places longer), Christianity had thriving churches and Christian centers of education and culture in Africa and Asia. The stereotypical view that the expansion of Islam quickly wiped out Christianity in the Middle East, North Africa and further east does not accord with the facts. Muslims and Christians coexisted in many places for centuries with some occasional outbursts of persecution. In fact, the influence of Eastern forms of Christianity upon Islam would have been quite apparent for hundreds of years, particularly to those familiar with the Syrian Church.

At the heart of Jenkin's thesis is the following: The particular shape of Christianity with which we are familiar is a radical departure from what was for well over a millennium the historical norm: another, earlier global Christianity once existed. For most of its history, Christianity was a tricontinental religion, with powerful religion, with powerful representation in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and this was true into the fourteenth century. Christianity became predominantly European not because this continent had any obvious affinity for that faith, but by default: Europe was the continent where it was not destroyed. Matters could easily have developed very differently.

Last Week in June

After having been gone for essentially a month, my family and I have truly enjoyed being together this past week (although Jenna didn’t get back from San Felipe until Thursday night). Carrie and I have spent some good chunks of time researching and finalizing plans for our upcoming trip to the East Coast -- we are very excited about the time we will spend in Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. We will visit historic and cultural sites, see old friends, and share in some memorable family adventures.

I have also enjoyed some quality time with my girls, whether in swimming together, going for bike-rides, hosting cousins for a sleepover, practicing volleyball, watching some movies (Jessica and I are enjoying our annual trip to Middle Earth with the Lord of the Rings trilogy), and enjoying meals together on the patio (the weather has been perfect this past week, especially during the mornings and evenings). I also continue to run several days each week (James Stephens and I did a 12 miler on Saturday) and am trying to figure out what my next race will be (perhaps a marathon or half-marathon in late fall).

Cousin Swim Party



















This Sunday morning, I visited two churches: South Bay Calvary Chapel in Gardena and RockHarbor Church in Costa Mesa. A few observations:
* I lowered the average age at Calvary and raised it at RockHarbor. 
* With shorts and a Hawaiian shirt I felt underdressed at Calvary (lots of coats and ties) and about right at RockHarbor.
* Calvary had a wonderful diversity of ages and races; RockHarbor was predominantly young and white.
* Both churches made effective use of audiovisual technologies.
* Both churches made appeals for volunteers for a wide variety of ministries; I was especially impressed with the missional efforts in India, Mexico, and area childrens’ homes in which RockHarbor was heavily invested.
* Both churches are gearing up for VBS and both advertised a variety of activities for middle school and high school students.
* The worship at both services was led by a praise band -- there were moments during both services in which I connected with the lyrics but I deeply connected with RockHarbor’s emphasis upon confession and dependence on God.
* Women did not have a meaningful speaking role at either service -- I’m not sure if this was typical or exceptional.
* Calvary’s preacher used the King James Bible and RockHarbor’s the NIV. Both preachers based their sermons on a variety of scriptures.
* Nether church offered the Lord’s Supper for the entire congregation though RockHarbor made it available at the close of service; both took up an offering (duh!).
* I ran into four people I knew at RockHarbor, including Tadd Wooton’s brother Troy and his family (I performed their wedding 8 years ago). 
* Both churches are large: Calvary has about 10,000 members and RockHarbor 5,000. Though different in makeup and personality, both are obviously having a sizeable impact in their communities and beyond.

South Bay Calvary Chapel





















Fun Reunion: Troy and Shannon Wooton, Hudson and Finley


























P.S. While I was in Orange County, I had to return to my favorite Mexican food hole-in-the-wall, Taco Mesa. Yum!!!

Taco Mesa: Home of the best blackened chicken tacos on the planet

Spirituality Class -- Favorite Quotes

My “Ministry of Spirituality” class with Dallas Willard and Keith Matthews is now complete. Our family is now making plans for our East Coast trip.

A number of your reported that you enjoyed the favorite class quotes section. Here is a final section of favorite quotes from class or class readings:

Poverty and Wealth
* Beware of presenting God as stingy, shabby, mean or small; God is not poor.
* God would rather let you have money that let crooks have it; but be sure that money doesn’t make you crooked.
* One of the worst ways to help the poor is by being poor.
* The problem of wealth is not about possessions or their use but about the amount of trust we place in our possessions and wealth.



Desire
* Sin is a radical addiction to my self-sufficiency.
* The answer to lust is love, the treasuring of human beings.
* Temptation does not leap on you unawares; there is always a lead-up.
* You cannot deal with desire by trying to satisfy it; desire is not self-limiting.
* Human desire is not holy; just because you desire something does not mean that it’s right.



Anger
* Everything I can accomplish with anger I can do better without it; if you approach others with anger, you will get anger back.
* In the moment, all anger feels like righteous anger.
* Revolutions routinely fail because when people get caught up in anger, they often beget even more anger through violence or injustice.



Kingdom of God
* God doesn’t simply want us to not do wrong; God is interested in our involvement in his kingdom purposes.
* The divine conspiracy is God’s intent to overcome evil with good in history and to draw each of us out of our own little kingdoms into his great kingdom.

Scripture, Worship, Prayer
* We need to drink at the well of the greatness of God.
* The Bible provides the best information regarding the most important questions of life.
* Read the Bible with the assumption that you are already wrong about a lot of things.
* Our study should lead us to worship.
* How far from being lovers of God are those who rarely think of him.
* Worship is the single-most powerful force in the renovation of the soul.
* Prayer helps remove the habit of self-reliance.
* Facing the silence of God challenges us to love the giver and not merely the gifts.

Service, Confession, Submission
* Servanthood is not a leadership technique; it is leadership. It is not a path to greatness; it is greatness.
* Confession enables us to drop the burden of pretense.
* Submission frees us from the burden of having to have our own way. 


Use of Time
* If you have too much to do, who do you think gave you too much? OR If God kept your calendar, would he schedule every minute of the day?
* Hurry is a state of frantic effort one falls into in response to inadequacy, fear and guilt.
* Do not say, “I don’t have enough time;” say rather, “I have chosen to spend my time thusly.”
* True spirituality is honest about human limitations.
* It is more important to plans for your weeks, months and years than for your days. [Put in the big rocks first!]
* Work a modest day, then step back to rest. This will keep you close to God.
* What is your personal strategy for becoming Christlike over your lifetime?

Father's Day

For the first time ever, I celebrated Father's Day without one of my girls (Jenna is on the San Felipe mission trip with the youth group). However, we had a nice lunch with the rest of our family and I enjoyed a favorite Sunday afternoon luxury: a nap!

For worship on Sunday morning, I visited Agoura Bible Fellowship. I enjoyed getting to learn about their youth group's summer mission trip and am amazed by the many creative ways young people use their gifts for the Lord.

With Two Out of Three on Father's Day

Class Pics

My Spirituality of Ministry Class is almost over. It has been a great experience in so many ways. I'll try to provide a reflective summary during the next week. Until then, here are a few favorite images from the class.

Class Picture



















A day in class

















The Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center



















This has been a great time for prayer, study and meditation



















Our class enjoyed some great times of story-sharing and laughter




















Our three teachers: Keith Matthews, Dallas Willard, and Jan Johnson

Michaela's Graduation

Today, I took a brief recess from my "Spirituality of Ministry" class to celebrate Michaela's graduation from Brookside Elementary School. We both had bittersweet feelings about the end of our family's time at this wonderful school. I am so thankful for the many wonderful teachers our girls have had and for the ways in which their lives have been blessed by them beyond the lessons learned in the classroom.

As Dad, I can hardly believe that all our girls are now "youth group age," which means we're saying farewell to children's ministry (sniffle). I feel the same sort of gratitude for Penny White's leadership of this ministry area and for so many who have generously and graciously loved on our girls, teaching and modeling the Christian faith for them.

We're proud of our graduate!

Spirituality Class Update

After six days of class, I am up to 29 pages (front and back) of class notes. This is in addition to some 170 pages of notes provided in our class binder. Suffice it to say, there's a lot I'm chewing on. Here is a grab-bag of some favorite quotes from class thus far; I've tried to sort them by topics.

On our human will
* Don't tell God "I can't" when what you really mean is "I won't."
* How can someone be responsible if they are not given space to do so? [a great insight into why God gives us free-will and how we can approach parenting]
* God will not, as a rule, compete for your attention. [which is why we typically have to get quiet in order to hear God]

On the Church
* Alchoholics Anonymous developed because churches weren't welcoming drunks.
* Does the gospel I preach produce disciples or religious consumers?
* The main problem with organized religion today is that it's distracted [focused on secondary things]
* There must be more to Christianity than "keep them coming" on Sundays.
* Legalism is a form of superstition. [Like, say, a lucky rabbit's foot that provides the illusion of control.]
* God gives us gifts in order to bless others, not in order to prove anything about us.

On the spiritual disciplines
* The spiritual disciplines are not righteousness but wisdom. [They don't make you right with God; they empower you to become the person God wants you to become.]
* Often we theologize ourselves out of prayer (perhaps in trying to protect God from "failure").
* Jesus took naps.
* In solitude, we learn that we are not alone.
* Listening is one of the greatest gifts we can give (and can often be the greatest witness to our faith).
* How easily do I buy into the assumption: "if you're not busy, you're not important."

One to grow on
* May you come to see that Jesus has faith in you.

Dallas and Jane Willard

A Great Weekend!

This past weekend (June 13-15) was wonderful in many respects. It began at noon on Friday with a 24-hour silent retreat for my "Spirituality of Ministry" class. I spent my time reading and memorizing scripture; watching a long, lingering sunset as the lights of LA "came on" in the valley below; taking a long, meditative walk in the gorgeous gardens on the grounds; worshipping God in silent praise and adoration; and praying/journaling my thoughts and prayers to the Lord. That time was a wonderful time to get centered and I am grateful for all who made it possible (thank you)!

Saturday afternoon, I went home and enjoyed time with my family, including being in the car for the first time while Jenna drove! (She did a good job, though Michaela donned a bike helmet to needle her sister.)

Sunday was about as perfect of a day as I can remember:
* Got up early and went for a run; soaked in the first sunlight I've seen since coming back from Israel.
* Attended the Simi Valley Church of Christ for early service, then went to Cornerstone Community church for late service.
* Met my family and some friends for lunch at Sharkeys.
* Worked with Carrie to plan our upcoming trip to the East Coast.
* Went to my friend's home in El Segundo to watch the Lakers win the NBA Championship!
How can you beat that?!

With my friend Daniel Joliff at the Simi Church




















Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley




















With Mark Manassee and Scott Lambert Following the Great Laker Victory!

Ministry Class Update

It has been an excellent week in the "Spirituality of Ministry" class that I'm taking through Fuller Seminary. There are about 25 students from four countries, 13 states and about 18 denominations present. Several of them are on sabbatical as I am. Our class sessions typically go from 8:30 to noon, 1 p.m. to 3:30, and 7 - 9 p.m. This evening, Christian author Jan Johnson came and talked about scripture meditation and led us through an exercise in Ignatian prayer -- very rich and meaningful!

Jan Johnson (center) and some fellow students



















We are sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner at the retreat center each day and are enjoying many conversations, not to mention some great meals! Our class camaraderie is growing each day; tonight (Thursday), several of us who went to catch the Laker game and some dinner.

Did I mention the Lakers won?



















I think I forgot to mention that the class is taking place at the Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre. The center is located at the very base of the San Gabriel Mountains and is literally the last property before the mountain wilderness area begins. The center has several beautiful gardens, a lovely chapel, and is adjacent to a variety of trail heads that lead into the mountains (yes, I have enjoyed running on them!)

The Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center (from the mountain trail)


















Self Portrait above the Retreat Center (It was quite a jog to get to this view)



















My Attempt at an Artsy Picture

Spirituality of Ministry Class

On Sunday night, I began my next big sabbatical adventure: a two week class at Fuller Seminary called the "Spirituality of Ministry." The class is taught by Dallas Willard and Keith Matthews; there are about 25 doctor of ministry students in the class. I'm enjoying taking the class as a auditor! I have met at least four others who are also taking this class during a sabbatical season in their ministries.

Dallas Willard is a philosophy professor at USC and a long-time author on Christian Spirituality themes. My favorite of his books is "The Divine Conspiracy," which is his study of the Sermon on the Mount. Some of our in-class assignments include:
* Getting 10 hours of sleep for the first 3 nights
* Read Matthew 5-7 & 2 Corinthians 2-6 daily
* Memorize Colossians 3:1-17

Some favorite quotes so far:
* "The saint burns more grace than the sinner." [We all live by God's grace and are utterly dependent upon it]
* "Thank God you don't have to be right about everything."
* "People will forget everything you say but they will remember who you are."
* "What passes for fellowship in many churches is actually carefully calibrated distance."
* "Grace receives people."
* "If you want to get to heaven, go now! Why wait?" [God's kingdom reign is presently available to all, though there are some rival kingdoms still about vying for power.]
* "The gospel is about life, not just sin."
* "The kingdom Jesus brought is one that does not rest on the ability to kill but the ability to give life."

With professor Dallas Willard

















With members of the class

The Weekend

I enjoyed being "home" this weekend. I got to take Jessica to a volleyball tournament.

Our volleyball player...






















... and her team!

















I also paid a visit on Sunday to the Hilltop Church of Christ in El Segundo where two life-long friends serve as ministers.

With Jon Reed and Scott Lambert

Final Day in Israel

We got up early Tuesday morning for a fast and furious final day of sightseeing, beginning with a boatride from Tiberias to Capernaum. I enjoyed my views of the western shores of Galilee as well as the thought that my Lord and his earliest disciples had traveled these waters and viewed these same shores. At Capernaum, we visited a later Synagogue that is believed to be built upon the 1st century synagogue in which Jesus ministered during his Galilean ministry (Mark 1:21 ff., 3:1). At the local museum, we also saw a simple fishing boat found in recent years which is believed to date to the first century; some call this "The Jesus Boat" and while I doubt it was the actual boat Jesus went on, it gives us a very good idea of what those boats would have looked like. We also paid a brief visit to what's left of the Jordan River, a quarter mile stretch that is released from the Sea of Galilee and is maintained for the sake of tourists.

The Synagogue In Capernaum



















At the Jordan River (such as it is)


















We continued our trip with a stop at Tel Megiddo, an ancient city at the western end of the Jezreel valley which commanded the great road connecting Egypt in the South with Syria in the North and Mesopotamia in the East. This strategic site was the scene of countless battles in biblical and world history. The city itself shows archaeological evidence of having been destroyed and rebuilt about 27 times over a period of 3600 years! No wonder the book of Revelation envisions this location as the site of the last great battle of the world: Armageddon (which comes from the Hebrew "Har Megiddo"). Due to its strategic location, Megiddo was one of King Solomon's chariot cities and also for King Ahab (husband of the infamous Jezabel). I couldn't help but wonder how much of our human history is really the story of Megiddo: build and destroy, rebuild and destroy, rebuild and destroy (sadly, this pattern can also be true for churches); I found myself thinking, "This is such a waste and a shame; there has to be a better way!"

A commanding view from Megido: It still sits along an important trade route


















Our final stop of the day was on the Mediterranean Coast, at the most impressive ancient city of Caesarea Philippi (not to be confused, as I often do, with Caeserea in Northern Israel). The city was initially built by Herod the Great in tribute to Caesar. During the time of Jesus, the city boasted a 4,000 seat theater, a huge hippodrome (horse track) that could accomodate 12,000 spectators, a luxurious public bathhouse (complete with hot, medium and cold water baths), a lavish temple dedicated to Rome and Caesar Augustus, a high level aqueduct bringing in water from 12 miles away, and an impressive man-made port. It is difficult not to be impressed by these ancient Roman building projects that utilized engineering and aesthetics in such remarkable ways! This is the city of which we read in Acts 21:8-9 where Philip the evangelist lived along with his four daughters who prophesied; this is also the location at which Paul made his defense to Governor Festus and King Agrippa and appealed to be sent to Caesar (Acts 25-26). Here Festus gave the famous response: "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"

The Aqueduct at Caesarea Philippi



















Part of the Hippodrome at Caesarea

In Northern Israel

On Monday, Evertt and I drove to the northernmost regions of Israel; from there we were able to see parts of the bordering nations of Lebanon and Syria. We visited the Tel Dan Nature Reserve, site of a 5,000 year old city (originally called Laish), which the Hebrew tribe of Dan captured during the conquest/settlement period of Israel (Judges 18:27-39). This is also the location at which King Jereboam tried to create a rival location to Jerusalem for the worship of Yahweh, God of Israel, during the divided kingdom (which grew out of the high taxes levied by Rehoboam, son of Solomon). Jereboam put up a golden calf in Dan and created a place to offer sacrifices to it (see I Kings 12:28-30; 2 Kings 10:29).

The location where Jereboam's altar sat


















We also drove to Banias, which was also called the Hermon Stream Nature Reserve. During the time of Christ, this ancient city was renamed Caesarea Phillipi. Mark 8:27 ff. records that this was the location at which Jesus famously asked his disciples "Who do people say that I am?... But who do you say I am?" It was a city with temples dedicated both to pagan and Roman emperor worship, a place in which Jesus' question to his disciples takes on special meaning.

Temple of Pan and Pan's Cave

















Holding up a keystone arch at the Palace of Agrippa II






















This site (Banias) is one that John Wilson and teams of Pepperdine students helped excavate during the 1990s.


















We also traveled to the highest and northern-most part of Israel, Mount Hermon, where we rode a ski lift up to an elevation of over 6000 feet and caught some great views looking southward toward Israel.

On our way down Mount Hermon

Sunday in Nazareth

Part of the blessing of my trip to Greece/Israel was being able to make connections with the local Christians. While in Israel, my travel guide Evertt Huffard introduced me to the congregation he served as a missionary during the late 1970s and which he continues to visit and encourage each year. They are a delightful group of Arabic believers; in fact, most of the Christians in the Galilee region are of Arabic descent, which ran counter to my expectations (which just goes to show my ignorance). They are prayerfully considering going through an elder selection process, which they have never done in their 60 year history.

In addition to attending several worship services, we were invited to some wonderful meals in the homes of various believers. I'll mention one meal in particular: following worship on Sunday, we were invited to the village of El Laboun (where there is a Church of Christ school that has been in operation for 40+ years). There, the Zeneih family hosted three other families and us to what I could only characterize as a full-blown feast: I counted at least fifteen unique dishes in addition to several types of grilled meats, with kinaffe (what else?!) for dessert. I was blown away by this gesture of welcome and hospitality!

A Feast in the Village of El Laboun! How many unique dishes can you identify?



















Nazareth Church Preacher Maurice Jadon, his wife Inam and daughter Natalie


















At the Nazareth Church

















At the Nazareth Church

Around the Sea of Galilee

During my final two days in Israel, we stayed in Tiberias, a resort town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. I enjoyed being close the the area of so much of Jesus' ministry. As I looked at various rock cliffs, I couldn't help but think that Jesus gazed upon these same cliffs during his time on earth. A few favorite memories from around the Sea of Galilee...

Sunset Over Galilee




















The hill commonly seen as the location of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

















At Capernaum, primary hub of Jesus' ministry

















On an early morning boat-ride traveling from Tiberias to Capernaum

















The mountain believed to be the location of Jesus' transfiguration

Father Knows Best!

When I asked my Dad what he'd would look for if he went back to Israel, he said to be sure to get some kinaffe, an Arabic dessert that combines the soft, salty taste of cheese with the sweet, crunchy taste of this syrupy concoction that is topped with what looks like shredded wheat.

I tried kinaffe three or four times, in two differing forms, and was not disappointed. My favorite came from Nazareth. So the age-old question, "Can anything good come from Nazareth," now officially has two correct answers.

Other favorite meals/foods inlcluded:
* Soulvaki/gyro (Greece)
* Felafel and Shwarma sandwiches (Israel)
* Several amazing dinners at the homes of one Greek and two Arabic families -- you simply cannot beat Mediterranean hospitality!!!

This One's For Dad! (Kinaffe)

Home Again!

I arrived home safely yesterday (Wednesday morning). Suffice it to say that the girls and I were very happy to see each other again! I'm very grateful for the opportunity I had to travel to Greece and Israel and for all that I was able to experience and learn there.

I will soon add a few posts about my last several days in Israel. Thanks for your prayers!

A Quick Post from the Sea of Galilee

Warning to all visual learners: I'm again on a computer at which I can't upload pictures.

Sunday was a wonderful day. I worshipped with the Nazareth Church of Christ in the morning and guest preached for a small village church (more like a gathering of believers) a half hour away from Nazareth. We are now staying outside of Tiberias, on the coast of Galilee.

On Monday, we got up early and headed north to Dan and Banias/Caeserea Phillipi, in the North of Israel. It was fun thinking about some of my friends from Conejo who participated in the archaeological dig at Banias. We also went to the top of mount Hermon. We tried to get into Gus Halav, Hazor and Capernaum but they were closed. I enjoyed a walk along the Sea of Galilee this evening.

Tomorrow is my last day in Israel. Your prayers for a safe flight home are coveted. Thank you to so many of you who have been encouraging Carrie as her Mom faces cancer -- it means so much to me to know you are caring for her in my absence!