Easiest Post Ever

Check out Ned Schuat's post on our excellent beginnings! We are off to Cambodia!

www.nedschaut.com

Outdated Lighthouses

This week I am away for a few days of solitude and reflection. This is the third Spring I have visited St. Columba Retreat House. Its located on the Point Reyes Peninsula. I typically take a hike each day somewhere I can hear the waves crashing and see wildlife unseen in Lincoln (elephant seals). There is a historic lighthouse at the very end of the point. Many folks travel the winding roads pass a number of historic farms to come to visit and whale watch for a few moments. There are 300+ steps down to the lighthouse from the visitors center. It usually quite windy and sometimes foggy. The interesting thing about this particular lighthouse is that it no longer is lit. It does still have a loud fog horn that goes every 30 seconds, yet the light no longer is shining. It not due to budget cuts either. A number of years ago it was made automatic but now is dark. The information center states that since so much of our navigational equipment has advanced to include satellites and GPS maps, the light is no longer necessary. Modern day shipping no longer needs lighthouses.

It seems to me that might be said about what many think about the Church today. We have a ton of unique and helpful Bible translations and tools to help us navigate the scriptures. We can listen to a favorite teacher or message via podcast. We have access to so many worship songs through sites like iTunes that we can construct our own personal worship set. We have big and comfortable homes to connect with our friends and host a family BBQ. We even have PayPal to help us give to those charities and compassion projects that personally move us. We can do everything that we do on a Sunday through our homes and the advanced technology of the internet. So who needs Sunday (or Saturday) church? It seems that modern Christians no longer need churches.

Before I respond to this critique, allow yourself to take a few moments and reflect on the question. Why do we need Church? Especially our weekend gatherings?

What do you think?

JUNK: Financial Wreckage

"Check yourself before you wreck yourself." It may sound corny but it is still true. Our willingness and courage to take an inventory on how we are shaped by and how we handle money is an essential part of living free. It does take some serious courage to look at our checkbook, our credit card statement, and our budget. Most likely there is some "junk" that we can get rid of in our financial life. Statistics still show that even in these challenging times, many Americans still do not have an overall budget written down to guide their spending, saving and giving.

We shared a checklist of sorts to see if we are on the road to financial wreckage. When we talk about designing a plan for managing your finances, we offer a course taught called Financial Peace University. This course is taught via DVD by author and radio personality Dave Ramsey and he does a great job of both inspiring and equipping folks. Group discussion follows facilitated by a couple in One Life who have been trained by Dave Ramsey's organization.

Lastly, if we are to be "rich toward God," it naturally follows to examine our pattern of generosity. Dawn and myself have adopted a "three-tired" giving plan. Our first 10% (or more) goes to the local church we serve. We give to the General Budget and beyonfd that to specific needs that arise through the year (compassion/youth/missions). The second tier of giving goes to missionaries, compassion ministries and other Kingdom oriented organizations. Thirdly, we work to live a life that is financially focused enough to give to real individual needs and unexpected tragic situations we hear about along the way. We give in these opportunities anonymously. I call it "sneaky good."

JUNK: Material Stuff

In his book, "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" Peter Walsh says there are a number of ways that both our living space and our physical shape are connected. In working as a certified organizational consultant and co-host of TLC's Clean Sweep, he has seen it a hundred times. Our physical health affects our mental well-being, our relationships, our career, our emotional health, and our living space. Cluttered homes often equals overweight bodies. In this way, we see that God has really wired us up as holistic people. Science has already shown us that our emotional health can sap our physical strength. We also know the hurts we carry from our past can sabotage our relationships today.

So, even the simplest action in our living space (material stuff) can actually have a positive affect our an number areas of our life. This past week I simply took out all the hangers that have accumulated in my closet (my side not Dawn's). The picture revels the sheen number of hangers that I have taking up space in my closet. Just removing these gave me a sense of less weight and gives me my next step: remove that clothing that I no longer wear and that can be donated or sold for a God-cause.

We are encouraging everyone in One Life to schedule a garage sale sometime in the next two months and donate the proceeds to our Cambodia Summer Mission Team. A number of One Life youth and young adults will be traveling to Cambodia to work along side AIM, an amazing ministry that fights the human trafficking and sex-slavery of young girls.

Will you get rid of some of your material stuff for your sake and the sake of others?

It might help the "junk in your trunk too"!

JUNK: Tossing the dead weight that keeps us from true life

This series through the season of Lent has the potential to bring anew level of freedom and grace to our lives. We will look at different places in our lives where "junk" has accumulated. These are areas we find ourselves living less because we have more. Ironically if we get rid of the "junk" we will discover a life that is more; more fulfilling, more satisfying, more courageous, more loving, more free, more alive. Easter reminds us that Christ did not stay dead or defeated but rose from the grave to conquer both death and sin. This is resurrected life. This is what we were made for and what Jesus came to bring us.

So, each week there will be a post to remind us, challenge us and help us apply to our lives what we have learned. It's kind of like the "extra features" on a DVD. Consider these Sunday "extras".

Resources for Freedom Sunday

Below are some links to find out more information, investigate companies and products, and take next steps in being an advocate of freedom for those caught in human slavery:

www.notforsalecampaign.org -- Organized Freedom Sunday... lots of info and take action stuff

www.IJM.org -- Info on global justice issues

www.slavefree.com -- Look for brands that are certified slave free

www.chainstorereaction.com -- Allows you to email companies to ask them to institute fair trade practices

www.globalexchangestore.org -- Online store of fair trade

Check out the message and interview with Don Hair here: www.onelifechurch.org/Audio.php

Next steps in facing injustice and slavery

Two weeks ago I was invite by my friend Nathan Oates of Emmaus Church Community (also in Lincoln... look collaboration in the same town... I will resist to comment further). It was a really honor to share about our journey as a faith community into the places of injustice, oppression, and need from Cambodia to Lincoln, CA. The context of the interview was primarily around the brokenness of our lives, communities, and systems. This past summer I had the chance to have a front row seat for the heinous, heart-wrenching and soul splaying evil of human trafficking, namely sex slavery of young girls. Many asked after hearing all the brutal and disturbing stories, what can I do. Here's my attempt to answer that here in suburbia.

Dear Emmaus Church Community,
I was deeply blessed and inspired by your willingness to address the uncomfortable and disturbing topic of human trafficking a few weeks back. It is a tragedy that shakes us to our core when we really stop and
realize what is truly wrong with the world (and us). The emotions can be very awkward, raw and somewhat surreal. We do not see often (if ever) this evil up close and when we do it still seems far away from our suburban lives. Yet, for so many around the globe (and even in Sacramento) it is a daily reality. But with all the emotion and even anger, what’s one to do? I mean, really do about these heart-wrenching stories of injustice and abuse? Here’s a few places to begin.
Pray: It’s always the first and best response to the oppression of people. God heard the suffering of His people and it moved Him to action (called Moses out of comfort and hiding to dangerous engagement).
Support: Whether its financial or relational support for those who are on the front lines of this battle. Please check out AIM4Asia.org and International Justice Mission online.
Go: It might be that God is placing a burden on your heart to actually go and work along side these amazing organizations and leaders. Feel free to email me at onelifechurch.org about traveling to Cambodia in summer 2010. Also, I know Emmaus will have global missional opportunities as well. Go for it.
Seek: This is perhaps the hardest and potentially dangerous responses. Read the local communication sources (Lincoln News Messenger, Sacramento Bee), surf online for local and regional issues related to human trafficking and seek a way to get involved. There are local coalitions that seek to be a transformative force in our region.
Share: Tell others about what you are learning and experiencing. Share the move of God in your heart and the restlessness of not being idle as so many are oppressed and used in our world. Who knows God may do a work in their hear and they seek to get involved.

Lastly, Jesus spoke about the “least of these”. He talked about the over-looked, the ignored and the avoided (communities, tribes, or people groups). His heart went out to them, he pursued them, engaged with them and touched them. He even said that the Kingdom was for them. To be like Jesus is to be in the places and with the people he was. You’ll find the life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Grace and Peace, Troy