tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51848198376868275982023-11-16T04:54:54.842-08:00Downward SpiralingAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-73264561595926845042012-12-25T13:26:00.000-08:002012-12-25T13:27:40.443-08:00MigrationI have grown tired of the spam that Blogger is not able to block. I have migrated this blog to Wordpress: <a href="http://www.thekingdomiswithinyou.wordpress.com/">www.thekingdomiswithinyou.wordpress.com</a><br />
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If you would like to continue to follow, please head to my wordpress blog site!<br />
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Blessings.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-20384705898089760212012-11-10T09:59:00.001-08:002012-11-10T09:59:16.798-08:00The myth of Christian ethics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIHgRpzfH76LFwCXwhlg7BnG_tCMA9fj3i5Rr2hz2A8LMU7h_rGHKsJsbe4_FIRVscCfecao-OypVakdt0bbFnstCJ64HLHTPOsYFfYerkja2fhDx6pt-pSQwe-XhUAWGK2fGznD8zDev/s1600/Walter_phototricia-640x425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIHgRpzfH76LFwCXwhlg7BnG_tCMA9fj3i5Rr2hz2A8LMU7h_rGHKsJsbe4_FIRVscCfecao-OypVakdt0bbFnstCJ64HLHTPOsYFfYerkja2fhDx6pt-pSQwe-XhUAWGK2fGznD8zDev/s320/Walter_phototricia-640x425.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"The knowledge that the Powers are inescapably bound to the divine ecology permits us to engage in struggles to transform them, <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>whether by reform or revolution</b></i></span>. The New Testament view of the Powers gives us a broad continuum of possible emphases, adaptable to every situation. No prepackaged answers tell us how Chritians should engage the Powers. . . all live in the paradox of being in, but not of, the Domination System. <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Spiritual discernment takes the place of fixed rules. As Jacques Ellul argues, there really is no such thing as a "Christian ethic," only the ethical [creativity] of Christians.</b></i></span>"</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>- </b></i></span>Walter Wink, <i>Engaging the Powers</i></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-47377307236257988062012-11-10T09:51:00.001-08:002012-11-10T09:51:27.071-08:00Engaging the Powers<div style="text-align: justify;">
"The simultaneity of creation, fall and redemption means that God at one and the same time upholds a given political or economic system (since some such system is required to support full human life), condemns that system insofar as it is destructive of full human actualization, and presses for its transformation into a more humane order. Conservatives stress the first, revolutionaries the second, reformers the third. The Christian is expected to hold together all three."</div>
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Walter Wink, <i>Engaging the Powers</i></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-48689293134233878572012-11-10T08:56:00.000-08:002012-11-10T09:01:02.570-08:00The Good Samaritan<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently I was struck by the profundity of Luke 10:25-37, the story of the "Good Samaritan." And, as is typical with the parables of Jesus, it is much deeper than what is usually discussed. First it is interesting to note that this is Jesus' response to the question: "what must I do to inherit eternal life." In short, His answer is "love your neighbor," which was probably as surprising to the "expert in religious law" as it might be to a contemporary "expert." The man replies, "but who is my neighbor?" </div>
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In the parable, the priest and the Levite both pass up the beaten man, an obvious condemnation of the religious structures of the time, but this is not the main idea from the parable.</div>
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Rather, the Samaritan not only met the wounded man's needs (verses 33-34), but went out of his way to both physically and monetarily nurse the man back to health (34-35). What struck me as profound though was the fact that the Samaritan came back.</div>
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Many folks are willing to serve others. Many more, especially those in an affluent nation like ours, are willing to help financially. But the last promise that the Samaritan makes is that he will come back. This is relationship. That is the toughest promise to make because relationships can get messy.</div>
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Since I am a teacher, I develop graphic organizers. . . for a living. This one came to mind while I was studying this passage:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgso1W0jKervH70xFEcoRt41bXc0gyLuoq1hKmOa49N5PKMD7Drrq9nfIcbIWZzL6xS0whyphenhyphenbHGh2ckML68q4iAZQunwB9gntvhouUWG0m489_13_iuzoNd-I5tmeqhyphenhyphen1sGjh1wUuA0ohzu6/s1600/page0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgso1W0jKervH70xFEcoRt41bXc0gyLuoq1hKmOa49N5PKMD7Drrq9nfIcbIWZzL6xS0whyphenhyphenbHGh2ckML68q4iAZQunwB9gntvhouUWG0m489_13_iuzoNd-I5tmeqhyphenhyphen1sGjh1wUuA0ohzu6/s400/page0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We can only be a "true neighbor" by incorporating compassion, action AND relationship. Without one of these key components we fall short of the example set by the Good Samaritan. Being moved to compassion and then wanting to serve (absent of relationship) can create a sanitary service paradigm where we end up creating cultural, racial and socio-economic barriers. When we feel as if it is our "Christian duty" to help others (void of compassion and love) and we enter into relationship with those in need we begin to eventually resent the folks we have been called to love. Lastly, if we have compassion and relationship with the marginalized but no action, we fail to fully meet God's call in Matthew 25 (feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned).<br />
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I do not believe that it was a coincidence that Luke follows up this story about the Good Samaritan with one about Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42).</div>
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When we can allow the Holy Spirit to transform our interaction with our neighbors to include compassion, action and relationship, only then can we become true neighbors.</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-58083472417616556732012-09-05T16:15:00.000-07:002012-09-06T11:12:21.076-07:00Church as Antagonist to Christ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHslD-46mPidpTSYl2gctsdydZOBechEuQc8uwph7-x5e1XF5preQa2bLxvrv4K76R9780BVPf_xGwo6VCEui0HJHFKN8klXt5NPGR49mG0UsRGFSHTSQH-EH7RLiPO_4qH3CaXcLr6WZ/s1600/tolstoy-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHslD-46mPidpTSYl2gctsdydZOBechEuQc8uwph7-x5e1XF5preQa2bLxvrv4K76R9780BVPf_xGwo6VCEui0HJHFKN8klXt5NPGR49mG0UsRGFSHTSQH-EH7RLiPO_4qH3CaXcLr6WZ/s400/tolstoy-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The follower of Christ, whose service means an ever-growing
understanding of his teaching, and an ever-closer fulfillment of
it, in progress toward perfection, cannot, just because he is a
follower, of Christ, claim for himself or any other that he
understands Christ's teaching fully and fulfills it. Still less
can he claim this for any body of men. </div>
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To whatever degree of understanding and perfection the follower of
Christ may have attained, he always feels the insufficiency of his
understanding and fulfillment of it, and is always striving toward
a fuller understanding and fulfillment. And therefore, to assert
of one's self or of any body of men, that one is or they are in
possession of perfect understanding and fulfillment of Christ's
word, is to renounce the very spirit of Christ's teaching. </div>
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Strange as it may seem, the churches as churches have always been,
and cannot but be, institutions not only alien in spirit to
Christ's teaching, but even directly antagonistic to it. With
good reason Voltaire calls the Church l'infâme; with good reason
have all or almost all so-called sects of Christians recognized
the Church as the scarlet woman foretold in the Apocalypse; with
good reason is the history of the Church the history of the
greatest cruelties and horrors. </div>
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The churches as churches are not, as many people suppose,
institutions which have Christian principles for their basis, even
though they may have strayed a little away from the straight path.
The churches as churches, as bodies which assert their own
infallibility, are institutions opposed to Christianity. There is
not only nothing in common between the churches as such and
Christianity, except the name, but they represent two principles
fundamentally opposed and antagonistic to one another. One
represents pride, violence, self-assertion, stagnation, and death;
the other, meekness, penitence, humility, progress, and life. </div>
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We cannot serve these two masters; we have to choose between
them. </div>
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(From Leo Tolstoy's <i>The Kingdom of God is Within You</i>) </div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-14135590156818683082012-08-27T16:57:00.001-07:002012-08-27T17:59:09.588-07:00How many men are necessary to change a crime into a virtue?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote>
One man may not kill. If he kills a
fellow-creature, he is a murderer. If two, ten, a hundred men do so,
they, too, are murderers. But a government or a nation may kill as many men as it chooses, and
that will not be murder, but a great and noble action. Only gather the
people together on a large scale, and a battle of ten thousand men
becomes an innocent action. But precisely how many people must there be to make it so? — that is
the question. One man cannot plunder and pillage, but a whole nation
can. But precisely how many are needed to make it permissible? Why is it that one man, ten, a hundred, may not break the law of God, but a great number may?</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePTrA3PAyMgZiqAjcyL2NoVjku4MIMAM4wC_6yh_b0WTfNnbm4vXb0qNIKlgBi-QvACbowbuAwb4DSx7mlirPs-hukyl9GAf-h8Jh8T8qq5RKmkcw31r_9Uc4co6yOwztmKz-ZXWypUEd/s1600/adinballou2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePTrA3PAyMgZiqAjcyL2NoVjku4MIMAM4wC_6yh_b0WTfNnbm4vXb0qNIKlgBi-QvACbowbuAwb4DSx7mlirPs-hukyl9GAf-h8Jh8T8qq5RKmkcw31r_9Uc4co6yOwztmKz-ZXWypUEd/s1600/adinballou2.jpg" /></a></div>
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- Adin Ballou<br />
(American pacifist, socialist and abolitionist) Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-45821476434804566872012-07-24T15:04:00.000-07:002012-07-24T15:04:48.668-07:00Warrior Dash Results<div style="text-align: justify;">
Team Nevernude rocked the North Bend, WA Warrior Dash. As one team member said, "We won before the race even started."
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMccjVnUEVRcmPo7y-AfjI5bhqORBsBd4k_JzEvlGGMt2QPGRGsB1YBKWpVk7dyxZ-gLZPLFMMf44Dha7DH_RNevxLDdvFgNJBnjTCHWgnXavnuWJ1eAGEJ1MVldgB0hx_C1k4Mj4R1aQ/s1600/P1040714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMccjVnUEVRcmPo7y-AfjI5bhqORBsBd4k_JzEvlGGMt2QPGRGsB1YBKWpVk7dyxZ-gLZPLFMMf44Dha7DH_RNevxLDdvFgNJBnjTCHWgnXavnuWJ1eAGEJ1MVldgB0hx_C1k4Mj4R1aQ/s400/P1040714.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I would say only about 50% thought we were Tobias Funke from Arrested Development, the other half thought we were the actual Blue Man Crew. One Warrior Dash official took a picture of us and posted it on Twitter with the title "Blue Man Crew." Their loss.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNqcGMUSd6eNpPVt-PMIg0uKvB-mRIVFjfUjzdeYh6BzeTMBlAZoh8YH0vLWpBgbGaD2pz_opKXQKneaiTElKgJsPyzyUEKDjH7nUWnA06aFruSjZ3NNe5DfpgcrBXB7J7BgSHOOOundm/s1600/P1040696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNqcGMUSd6eNpPVt-PMIg0uKvB-mRIVFjfUjzdeYh6BzeTMBlAZoh8YH0vLWpBgbGaD2pz_opKXQKneaiTElKgJsPyzyUEKDjH7nUWnA06aFruSjZ3NNe5DfpgcrBXB7J7BgSHOOOundm/s320/P1040696.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The hardest part about the entire day was lubing up the blue body paint. When you are one step above Sasquatch, it isn't much fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqTNZpZVIpXq9niWKhYDbYJQ-sX28raz8CXu2WbLUy-0McRVsOr4kFNbnUORg_l0wkz6zzbvoiPwfYNddrD7H3Ibvjd57WN7Bm_BmlljCmveL_H9zYAsHR1eO30oZ9HG-Z5v12YKHWDEm/s1600/P1040735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqTNZpZVIpXq9niWKhYDbYJQ-sX28raz8CXu2WbLUy-0McRVsOr4kFNbnUORg_l0wkz6zzbvoiPwfYNddrD7H3Ibvjd57WN7Bm_BmlljCmveL_H9zYAsHR1eO30oZ9HG-Z5v12YKHWDEm/s320/P1040735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here we are on the 2nd to last obstacle. We decided very early on: "Leave no Blue Man behind," and finished with a time of 50 minutes. Our goal was under an hour, so we destroyed expectations. There were about 3,000 participants on Sunday and we finished right around 1,500th.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcJ3DadGgjC7UYKc-yG9m0x7F7UXh0w2hZRYpdQCf00JXZ_uORXF1WEcKMXR7-gWiqgBQcqdiWBxGC-QtGpkCThH9AkfVXG6QrFtVazqsl7lGt__Wuw0S6wRD_qcO-KbjrRQqzIyWCXyo/s1600/P1040740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcJ3DadGgjC7UYKc-yG9m0x7F7UXh0w2hZRYpdQCf00JXZ_uORXF1WEcKMXR7-gWiqgBQcqdiWBxGC-QtGpkCThH9AkfVXG6QrFtVazqsl7lGt__Wuw0S6wRD_qcO-KbjrRQqzIyWCXyo/s320/P1040740.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I did a cannonball into the mud pit at the end. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXMCEFXzdxA1hZ5Sf0l-HYoW6im541vlv3sLntK0Y5zquzE6Lsy77jx9dKp0CEG6NXx8KsKUBmEQVnGqfl7xmH94aBsBd9bhlXRazHtC6Bj_E-Q3lJ2Wt3Z3uzAVYToyUI2Zu2HVdqgBk/s1600/P1040749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXMCEFXzdxA1hZ5Sf0l-HYoW6im541vlv3sLntK0Y5zquzE6Lsy77jx9dKp0CEG6NXx8KsKUBmEQVnGqfl7xmH94aBsBd9bhlXRazHtC6Bj_E-Q3lJ2Wt3Z3uzAVYToyUI2Zu2HVdqgBk/s320/P1040749.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We did the wheelbarrow across the finish line in true warrior fashion.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvs_vTuqZJPVrqHV0kBOr85ygLPfB7TmOQc76q2KO6ag_oWgFnZSXNiDYEW-VFBme7zs1lYpH3d8uqXcxYqDlHub6OhaMqnVIPj6qUk1fs-ACxqJaXqZi57lJ_gS00RtDS040Yqx_SifD/s1600/P1040751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvs_vTuqZJPVrqHV0kBOr85ygLPfB7TmOQc76q2KO6ag_oWgFnZSXNiDYEW-VFBme7zs1lYpH3d8uqXcxYqDlHub6OhaMqnVIPj6qUk1fs-ACxqJaXqZi57lJ_gS00RtDS040Yqx_SifD/s320/P1040751.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The girls were warriors too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqISCh76ysMTi-hOC5jRoBzfEp3Vuy4U-HCa8L3TegmA2r2T4MYgv4RyOE-blJzg-pN3MiI5YYhXCEmPAgVDKup5Pso0j9amBAUFKahEDYKNuLizbSk459suJU_BxYjnosRm7o8N8rqLkF/s1600/P1040723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqISCh76ysMTi-hOC5jRoBzfEp3Vuy4U-HCa8L3TegmA2r2T4MYgv4RyOE-blJzg-pN3MiI5YYhXCEmPAgVDKup5Pso0j9amBAUFKahEDYKNuLizbSk459suJU_BxYjnosRm7o8N8rqLkF/s320/P1040723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-75416342412316405262012-07-16T20:25:00.000-07:002012-07-17T19:26:48.247-07:00Warrior Dash<br />
I'm doing this next weekend. 3.6 miles, 12 obstacles including "Deadman's Drop," "Road Rage" where we will crawl over old cars and "Warrior Roast" which is jumping over flaming trenches of fire.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XQsR7jbmVuY?rel=0" width="530"></iframe><br />
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After repetitively telling my brother "No, I don't want to pay money to throw up" he offered to pay (for my birthday).<br />
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If you know my brother, it wouldn't sound odd that he wants to run it in costumes. Here is what we settled on:<br />
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Tobias Funke - Blue Man with Nevernudes.<br />
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Should be fun.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-70191405979776797242012-06-06T06:17:00.000-07:002012-06-06T06:17:03.128-07:00Vegetable Oil Conversion Installment #3<div style="text-align: justify;">
Still working out some kinks with the engine swap, but the veg oil conversion is working well. I don't have gauges installed, so I don't know how much VO is in the tank, or what the temperature of the VO is before it injects, or finally if my VO filter needs changed, but the diesel fuel level gauge isn't moving much! Here are a few videos of the swap and conversion:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9BrSvMKD4H0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bRHXeO8FcPs" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c-r3pLaLHdI" width="560"></iframe><br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-54940345889541471702012-05-28T09:46:00.000-07:002012-05-28T09:46:03.641-07:00Education Manifesto<div style="text-align: justify;">
We place too much value in education. That's right, I'm a teacher. Here is why: </div>
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I overheard one student asking another: "Why aren't you going?" "I am, I'm just starting at community college," said the other. "But why not start out wherever you want to end up?" "I can't pay, I don't qualify for FAFSA" (federal financial aid). This is the case for so many of my students. This one in particular is an excellent student: trustworthy, hardworking, willing and excited to learn. But he isn't a U.S. citizen, so is therefore left out of the educational loop.</div>
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I on the other hand qualified and took advantage of tens of thousands of federal dollars in loans and grants. Serenity and I together still owe over $20,000. I've heard it and said it hundreds of times: teaching pays the least of any profession that requires a masters degree. With a family of 6, I qualify for both food stamps and Oregon Health Plan. I have a masters degree and found a good job in my chosen field and I still qualify for public assistance! Something is wrong with the economic system we live in. I am not someone who complains about my pay, I didn't get into teaching to become rich, and I enjoy what I do.</div>
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The internal conflict begins however, when I talk college with my students. A <a href="http://news.investors.com/article/611887/201205171857/most-unemployed-are-college-grads-dropouts.htm" target="_blank">report</a> just came out that tells us that for the first time in history "the number of jobless workers age 25 and up who have attended some
college now exceeds the ranks of those who settled for a high school
diploma or less."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW4hFL-95JtZl2J99sZyeG0NKGiZyU1lG327yPi0Iy11SHrGVuzG_QPtnjMfDHjIP1z1-iLqgFOtSswP6U0Z55if365nUIoLVKhDazGzLXWvX8kZPEo9Dadp5KHDTwfWnAhTT3UeRxqqX/s1600/WEB2unemp051812.jpg.cms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW4hFL-95JtZl2J99sZyeG0NKGiZyU1lG327yPi0Iy11SHrGVuzG_QPtnjMfDHjIP1z1-iLqgFOtSswP6U0Z55if365nUIoLVKhDazGzLXWvX8kZPEo9Dadp5KHDTwfWnAhTT3UeRxqqX/s400/WEB2unemp051812.jpg.cms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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True learning can and does occur at university, however, as someone who attended 5.5 years of college can attest, much of it is jumping through hoops to attain a degree. Learning is a choice, I don't need some certificate to tell me what or how to think. Our world is becoming increasingly egalitarian, the free flow of information is helping many people become (even though it is a teaching cliche) "life-long learners". I also fully understand that an education can be the tool that allows for those who are on the margins of society to become plugged into the world around them both socially and economically. However, too many times, someone's level of education attained is how we define them. We seem to place more worth (or at least I have / do) on someone who has attained a high school diploma over someone who has dropped out. A doctor is somehow considered better than a migrant worker. Herein lies the central question: Should our education define our worth?</div>
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It would be a central and fundamental shift in our thinking, especially as a teacher. At WAAST (Woodburn Academy of Art, Science and Technology) where I teach, we tend to highlight our graduates who have attended prestigious colleges or who have went on to become successful in their chosen higher-level fields (after attaining some sort of higher-level degree). I once had a principal who told us that every single one of our students should attend college. What exactly should I say to a student who cannot attend college because of economic or citizenship obstacles? Typically we all might intentionally or unintentionally consider that student as inferior and consequently treat her differently. How should I lift up my students who either can't or choose not to attend college and treat them with dignity, respect and a sense of worth? I believe our view of economics directly reflects how we view others. If we have become conformist to the consumeristic and materialistic world around us, then becoming a doctor or lawyer or some other high paying profession is the ultimate goal and achievement. If this is the view we have, then yes, college degrees and educational achievement should define our worth. But if we reject this broken economic system or even question it, then educational achievement should not and does not define our individual worth.</div>
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Telling a generation of young people that their worth is tied up in where or if they attend college is a fallacy. Educational attainment is no longer the measuring stick for success. As an educator, I need to do a better job of making it clear to my students that their own individual worth is not connected to their chosen profession, or even a profession at all. Ultimately, in God's eyes, someone who dropped out of school in 3rd grade and picks strawberries is as worthy of love and acceptance as someone who dropped $200,000 on a doctorate degree.</div>
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-60552846709158804482012-04-30T20:46:00.000-07:002012-04-30T20:46:20.092-07:00Vegetable Oil Conversion Installment #2<div style="text-align: justify;">
While I wait for the diesel conversion to be completed, I have been ordering veggie conversion parts and contemplating the new system. I've also been busy installing a 330 gallon IBC tote in my garage: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCNDkf9sbG0e91sg7U4ZEPAfSeDMldAl2h4UXmIogV2w7YCqStSJxJVlVLA2YbJlo6uKnDy9RO4hMQYtYXhdIupNpCpi_Esq4zW4bAIXVwPcKDVlh2BDlt1Yf4_vqKzBb3Sm6T9wKbzav/s1600/P1040190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCNDkf9sbG0e91sg7U4ZEPAfSeDMldAl2h4UXmIogV2w7YCqStSJxJVlVLA2YbJlo6uKnDy9RO4hMQYtYXhdIupNpCpi_Esq4zW4bAIXVwPcKDVlh2BDlt1Yf4_vqKzBb3Sm6T9wKbzav/s400/P1040190.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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(Notice how I have already poured some veggie oil in? That is 45 gallons and it barely filled it past the spigot.)</div>
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I had to figure out adapters for bringing the 2 in. thread of the IBC down to a 3/4 in. fuel hose, and I found this at my local hardware store, Long Bros. here in Woodburn:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MLe0bkbf2ko1jFDX4rv6YXjDI2lEQWA1611jyjN23zOMncJn7RCTu19MKeAEPdmLqXCmcCPsCvfVKApTVQXzIfnqzQ0xEUCuf7NCwCoXvjn_jHFEb_IsjUDE8_a0CBW7hpyXhPmOv_r-/s1600/P1040196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MLe0bkbf2ko1jFDX4rv6YXjDI2lEQWA1611jyjN23zOMncJn7RCTu19MKeAEPdmLqXCmcCPsCvfVKApTVQXzIfnqzQ0xEUCuf7NCwCoXvjn_jHFEb_IsjUDE8_a0CBW7hpyXhPmOv_r-/s320/P1040196.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I have a 20 ft. fuel hose and auto shut-off nozzle on order from Northern Tools. Not too long and I'll be set up to transfer fuel from my filtering location:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfw4VAcHM9dKiH3UI78IPyx_YBnNcFd9dfdIn7iQTZBkCbSZNa1b5CiX_Rd99DDkxG4Tyeec08Coqg5ACmR80kQFE1SK-B4SEQFF-IvwTvyjUw1Zc8rXMa4qIgqrPPE3jzfa3_phkvZds/s1600/P1040202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfw4VAcHM9dKiH3UI78IPyx_YBnNcFd9dfdIn7iQTZBkCbSZNa1b5CiX_Rd99DDkxG4Tyeec08Coqg5ACmR80kQFE1SK-B4SEQFF-IvwTvyjUw1Zc8rXMa4qIgqrPPE3jzfa3_phkvZds/s320/P1040202.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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. . . to my IBC tote and then be able to pump directly into my Vanagon.</div>
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<br /></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-15006098903322575532012-04-22T19:42:00.019-07:002012-04-22T21:16:52.572-07:00Vegetable Oil Conversion - Installment #1<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTonL7pu4GWtXgLo0D9Yt8INuG-i8Mr5pxUEHSmCbDYvfw4zc8YZzOtDe6NppLoU8ZxZhoN108YI9ujwtS4xMkNsUG8oMZj-9GFiSq9syPA5-GxPprUffxjUPpZtTYAX4dSiqcetVLml6k/s1600/P1040149.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 342px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734439886895690482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTonL7pu4GWtXgLo0D9Yt8INuG-i8Mr5pxUEHSmCbDYvfw4zc8YZzOtDe6NppLoU8ZxZhoN108YI9ujwtS4xMkNsUG8oMZj-9GFiSq9syPA5-GxPprUffxjUPpZtTYAX4dSiqcetVLml6k/s320/P1040149.JPG" /></a>Our beloved 1987 2.1 liter Volkswagen Vanagon Wolfsburg Edition went belly up during spring break. So this is the prefect time to drop in a 1.9 liter turbodiesel and convert it all to run on vegetable oil. Yep, we are going 2/3 veggie (we still have a CJ-5 Jeep that I drive to work each day, which is only about 5 miles, so WVO doesn't make sense).<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">I have been thinking (Serenity might call it obsessing) about the conversion since then. I don't want to pay $4,000 to have someone install something that I think I can do myself, so I plan to install it myself. I also don't want to pay for engineering that I'm not sure either 1) fits for my climate or 2) doesn't make sense economically so I don't want to purchase a kit and am designing my own system and schematic.<br /><br />However, I am not a mechanic, so I found a local guy named Mike who does engine swaps with Vanagons (Subarus, TDI, etc.). It is obviously a specialized trade (swapping a gasoline engine for a diesel). The actual vegetable oil conversion will be done at Mike's shop, but only with his guidance :)<br /><br />I have thought about this conversion a lot lately (I do my best thinking at 3am right after Luci wakes me up, and in the shower), there is a lot to think about: tank placement, heat exchangers, waste coolant heat, 3-way solenoids, injection line heaters, etc.<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Basically the theory goes that vegetable oil (VO) burns similar to diesel once it is heated to around 180 degrees which changes the viscosity to be thinner and burn more complete.<br /><blockquote>“The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time.” - Rudolph Diesel (1912) </blockquote><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">So, heat the VO on it's way to the injectors and you have a fuel that cuts emissions by around 85% and can be free if you know where and how to collect it. Along with heating the VO you must start on diesel (don't want to force cold VO into the engine and injectors) and purge the system of VO by running diesel through it before you shut it down each time, which takes about 30 seconds although it varies depending on how well designed your system is.<br /></div></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 461px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 481px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734442062776746706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIec1LHd1DesLUgxcMAjdKpyA7VQ3O8JEesJGTGDgF0o9a6eQOJSEnTrA6vFHl7Yq6DOnlbFSjAQaMIljKR0xtgxaSeYKfyRj9vmwVzVepbiwrl7kVWx9h3tNGUz6BhKCOHziT09f3ozf/s400/VO+System+Design.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">OK, so let me explain my design. Starting with the VO tank (which will be under the rear seat and will be 20 gallons giving us a range of over 500 miles per tank) the lift pump pulls VO out of the tank and pushes it through a "VegTherm" which can heat the VO to temperatures near or above 200 degrees depending on climate and time of the year. If the temperature of the VO reads excessively high during the summer months I will have a manual switch that turns the VegTherm off. Next the VO travels through a coolant heated filter head and into the filter which will be heated with a WVO Designs 12 volt electric filter wrap. From the filter the VO travels to the 1st of two 3-way solenoid valves where I can control from the dash whether it pushes out diesel or VO. A temperature sensor will inform me if the VO temperature is too high before it goes into the fuel injector lines which are heated with 12 volt electric wraps. What fuel is not needed at the injection pump is then sent back through the return lines either to the diesel tank or looped back into the VO lines depending on what I have selected on the dash of the Vanagon.<br /><br />Here are some pictures of Mike and I as we dropped the old engine out of Wolfy. The 1.9 turbodiesel engine should be installed this week or next and then we can get to work on the VO system.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdY7DEEe7QLgREz5D6QcMCd6b_UNUUtkE4gvllHnGKkg9b1gRW68ChdmhLx7dXQVUsP6XYvQvGkWO2wzKg6jxY9K15DAOb3YGX3yrUbhbcWlVzxEb0n5KHu1Nqw8iNpn8-DWMHLITNxzY/s1600/P1040158.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734438505145889442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdY7DEEe7QLgREz5D6QcMCd6b_UNUUtkE4gvllHnGKkg9b1gRW68ChdmhLx7dXQVUsP6XYvQvGkWO2wzKg6jxY9K15DAOb3YGX3yrUbhbcWlVzxEb0n5KHu1Nqw8iNpn8-DWMHLITNxzY/s320/P1040158.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PyqxhyChtGKUMZNyotbxGYt4qHdfhZw-BJY6JIqrZ9Ni1Gu0HGmEeG6JG0WkV2lzAFyOHs1-IHf2n7WhOJcKnhRCzr9TPlluOTu9SuA_7V7Ede3hzetXu26trdoEIMJegGdVW7Uy2dAZ/s1600/P1040172.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734438944224866690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PyqxhyChtGKUMZNyotbxGYt4qHdfhZw-BJY6JIqrZ9Ni1Gu0HGmEeG6JG0WkV2lzAFyOHs1-IHf2n7WhOJcKnhRCzr9TPlluOTu9SuA_7V7Ede3hzetXu26trdoEIMJegGdVW7Uy2dAZ/s320/P1040172.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq4tUCEUwbXn0aj9y9a9uw5TGlXkV3YgZpR46lIyi2idi3jT8CHOz81ODfOx9aIZUWQYBDbB0DbpseALTPJAr-zfg0hQwQCxd9GHIg5uq50cB8KworiDveZgYf6_xscpWJYzV22fnRYEZ/s1600/P1040177.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734439242876260018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq4tUCEUwbXn0aj9y9a9uw5TGlXkV3YgZpR46lIyi2idi3jT8CHOz81ODfOx9aIZUWQYBDbB0DbpseALTPJAr-zfg0hQwQCxd9GHIg5uq50cB8KworiDveZgYf6_xscpWJYzV22fnRYEZ/s320/P1040177.JPG" /></a>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-45195376802276492042012-03-28T09:32:00.003-07:002012-03-28T09:41:44.870-07:00We are prophets of a future not our ownOscar Romero was assassinated 32 years ago this month. Some argue whether he actually spoke or wrote the prayer below, but either way, it is profound.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHv64se_yXTAEqWrt3NE1Ae-cmrGX_Vzc6-0NfPa_ul1kPHgpTgzjjx33UoH1WTsgHQF5DdWne31vKdEAG2ZSA2i_5mACCK49uA61FYyurEY-YOdXkmngctn41riIbx8dLL5OyhQDaXId/s1600/Romero+headshot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHv64se_yXTAEqWrt3NE1Ae-cmrGX_Vzc6-0NfPa_ul1kPHgpTgzjjx33UoH1WTsgHQF5DdWne31vKdEAG2ZSA2i_5mACCK49uA61FYyurEY-YOdXkmngctn41riIbx8dLL5OyhQDaXId/s320/Romero+headshot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724988846686509410" border="0" /></a><p style="text-align: justify;">It helps now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capability. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the lord's grace to enter and do the rest. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Amen. </p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-19108275040503629072012-03-23T08:02:00.005-07:002012-03-23T09:59:46.966-07:00Why we do what we do. . .<div align="justify">"We can't love God unless we love each other. And to love we must know each other. We know Him in the breaking of bread and we know each other in the breaking of bread. And we are not alone anymore." ~ Dorothy Day</div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 242px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723108798623316370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhhCQ-zU7CDZWfstcb7CuIb26L1irvVGpkib-SrpBZ8owkabyzCJTlS0tV52UxV7X7ymz5R2AVu5FYPFeegDvpd0XV-0ItjWn725ZGyoOJEBCsJo-ItllEwow-0DBSl3fyqdxszOyblZk/s320/dorothydayarrest-1.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">There is something very symbolic about food, . . breaking bread together. It transcends language and culture. We had a "leadership" meeting at our home amongst our friends from the Jubilee Food Pantry last weekend. It was amazing and remarkable. Simple too. We broke bread (well, actually not bread we had homemade and authentic posole and enchilades) with our amigos. It was really the first time that we had the opportunity to share our vision for the pantry: build community, love one another and enter deeper into the Kingdom. It was especially cool for me in that many of the husbands came with their wives, which is usually not the case on Tuesday evenings. As what I shared about our hopes and dreams with this community was communicated by one of the family's high school aged daughter, there were a lot of heads nodding and quite a few smiles. This is encouraging since many had no idea why exactly we do what we do ~ other than to love Jesus. I think the quote from Dorothy Day above sums it up very nicely and I will paraphrase: we cannot love God fully unless we are loving each other, we love each other by truly knowing each other, we can better know one another when we break bread together, when we break bread together we become community. Pretty simple and the posole was good!</div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-67264412139666147122012-03-10T17:10:00.004-08:002012-03-10T17:44:25.188-08:00Tithing<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlh_fw7AouCCdUWn4tjLb26xxBiGJ_mK_-U9LeXs1BSP99Glv2v9IUzBCAXjXpi1dOOVUYM1h6iRDChi9m9Y3ywy5Ezx06m6j55WCgnuQ1fFv8ClqgNAaOaWdKp1XNi4o7hZWDyQkinqL4/s1600/one-dollar-bill-large.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlh_fw7AouCCdUWn4tjLb26xxBiGJ_mK_-U9LeXs1BSP99Glv2v9IUzBCAXjXpi1dOOVUYM1h6iRDChi9m9Y3ywy5Ezx06m6j55WCgnuQ1fFv8ClqgNAaOaWdKp1XNi4o7hZWDyQkinqL4/s320/one-dollar-bill-large.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718448369633426498" border="0" /></a>Don't have anything new to say on the subject, just thought I would tell folks a bit about our philosophy of tithing. Many may see it as faulty, that's OK. For years, we gave 10% directly to our local church. It was regular and consistent and it stretched us financially. Yet the past 3 years we have felt led to find ministries that directly support the lives of those in poverty. We have been able to give to different ministries and churches that we came across while traveling in 2008-2009. It has been a blessing to us to be able to reconnect with others in the Kingdom who are doing similar work and that we have admired and looked up to as lovers of Jesus. Our reasoning has not been because we don't believe churches do good things for the Kingdom, but rather that we believe that the money God has blessed us with needs to go directly to the poor. It is clear that one of the mandates that both God and Jesus gave was that of giving to the poor. As John the Baptist said: "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry." It is also clear that for centuries, the early church took the same approach by giving over 90% directly to the poor rather than to salaries and building leases.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Much of our decision to shift away from giving to our local church was based off of writings such as:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.relationaltithe.com/pdffiles/EmbezzlementPaper.pdf">EMBEZZLEMENT: THE CORPORATE SIN OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY?: An Examination of How Local Congregations in the Early Church Spent Their Money and the Implications for Us Today by Ray Mayhew</a><br /><br />It is a 26 page PDF, so it will take some time, but I highly recommend this biblical overview of tithing and the early church.<br /><span class="st"><em></em></span><br />We have also chosen to use a portion of our tithing money to meet the immediate needs of those who we are in relationship with. We call it "relational tithe." It is a blessing and a joy to be able to meet some of the needs of those around us.<br /><br />Lastly, and this isn't anything new, it was discussed by Ron Sider in his 1970s Christian classic Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, the graduated tithe is a very simple system to follow that allows for us to live at a basic level and increase our giving based on our increased salary / income. Here is a quick overview:<br /><blockquote><p>1. You <strong>set a starting amount or a base salary</strong>. The amount is often your current salary. The assumption is that if you are currently living on your income, you should be able to give away a larger amount of any increase you receive.</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p>2. <strong>Commit to increasing the percentage of your giving </strong>each time you get an increase in your salary. The easiest way to do this is to increase your giving for every $1,000 you earn beyond your base salary. Again, for simplicity, you can give an extra 5% per $1,000 you make above your base salary. Per $1,000 annual increase, you increase your tithe by 5%, then 10%, then 15%, then 20% …</p></blockquote> Just a few thoughts.<br /></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-80309431745314832162012-03-03T09:40:00.003-08:002012-03-03T09:53:14.806-08:00My Hobby<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOownxd2CnDWDV7vEEmS0d-SUYocC1COmcY8ADRSlEiW8Pxw44AtDHD6I1Z1Bz9YdX79HamYxPsgWl2CTiCstUApuHfXG3Oqp-zWEETayK60_EvYo18VgCQYMPvurbi9FoV8OuhiYDdHK/s1600/P1030920.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOownxd2CnDWDV7vEEmS0d-SUYocC1COmcY8ADRSlEiW8Pxw44AtDHD6I1Z1Bz9YdX79HamYxPsgWl2CTiCstUApuHfXG3Oqp-zWEETayK60_EvYo18VgCQYMPvurbi9FoV8OuhiYDdHK/s320/P1030920.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715730287161736482" border="0" /></a>I have come to realize that collecting and filtering vegetable oil has become a hobby. I have been doing this since 2008 when we began traveling with Mustard Seed Ministries and I just couldn't stop. I have been working on the filtering system that I have set up on our side yard since last summer, and it works really well thus far. I have 5 different locations that I pick up used vegetable oil from, one on a weekly basis, the others call me when they need the space. I walked out of a convenient store last week with around 30 gallons, which with the cost of diesel at $4/gallon, that will save me about $120. I have calculated the amount we plan to use this summer with trips to California, Eastern Oregon and Seattle and figure that whatever surplus veggie oil we have in September I can sell for around $2/gallon. That will free up a lot of extra cash to develop projects and purchase products that will help those in our community. But beyond the financial aspect of filtering my own fuel is the fact that my carbon imprint has been significantly reduced. Check out the video:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l4r_dZSZIIc" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-55572786468361847622012-02-20T09:22:00.002-08:002012-02-20T10:00:12.459-08:00οἰκονομία<div style="text-align: justify;">Right now I'm reading a really good book called <span style="font-style: italic;">Free People: A Christian Response to Global Economics</span> by Tricia Gates Brown. I came across an interesting Greek word: <span class="encycheading">οἰκονομία or oikonomia. The word is used throughout the New Testament for "economy," and is translated in Greek as "house-keeping" or "stewardship of household affairs." Brown reveals the depth of Jesus' call to "come and follow" when held against the socioeconomic backdrop of peasants living in Palestine in the First Century. The followers of Jesus, most of them trapped in poverty, relied upon family connections, and extended family connections in order to survive from day to day (due mostly to extreme taxes from both Rome and the Herodian ruling family). So when Jesus called folks to follow him, it meant breaking ties with both your relatives and the economic ties of that family life. You were now part of the "family of God," relying on your brothers and sisters for survival. This is why Jesus, on several occasions, uses pretty harsh language about family when referring to the commitment of following him (Luke 8, Matthew 10).</span><br /><span class="encycheading"></span><br /><span class="encycheading">Now this concept of economics being "in-house," makes the early church of Acts (specifically discussed in Acts 2:44-46; Acts 4:32-35) sound much less radical. Having family, specifically family that contributes economically, was vital to survival in First Century Palestine, it was simply a way of life. If Jesus called his disciples to "come and follow him," then they were asked to cut economic ties, and most of the time relational ties as well, with their immediate family and enter into the family of God. This new family was now their economic family. Looking out for their family's economic needs was part of life, for peasants and fisherman alike, it was <span style="font-style: italic;">essential </span>to life. How many of us view our sisters and brothers as actual sisters and brothers. With our time, or relationship and essential to all, our economics? "There were no needy ones among them" takes on a new meaning when we look at Jesus followers as brothers and sisters, not just neighbors.</span><br /><span class="encycheading"></span></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-84457566554929000112012-01-21T09:51:00.000-08:002012-01-21T11:36:24.783-08:00Cause or Kingdom?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavKW4M1Anjt0DUICbSPLEXrcmpFgvyxmuV08hq1ShDTTmQyXPl8Z3cSevDL85K4tWXFuKNZQEUvFXNQ247c6AeaXZrcF8k9YFYtW_O6igZxPHvD1rkzolpCIXx-4MKAXxXgPFqRn23OtP/s1600/ClarenceJordan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavKW4M1Anjt0DUICbSPLEXrcmpFgvyxmuV08hq1ShDTTmQyXPl8Z3cSevDL85K4tWXFuKNZQEUvFXNQ247c6AeaXZrcF8k9YFYtW_O6igZxPHvD1rkzolpCIXx-4MKAXxXgPFqRn23OtP/s320/ClarenceJordan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700169383756721970" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been reading quite a bit about and from Clarence Jordan, the founder of Koinonia Farm in rural Georgia. He wrote the Cotton Patch version of the New Testament. He was trained as a Southern Baptist preacher, and when he would guest preach he would only have a few notes on a small piece of paper and the original Greek New Testament that he would translate as he preached. Jordon was a dynamic individual. He was on the forefront of the battle against segregation and developed a unique model for communal living. However, he didn't start Koinonia in the early 1940s to create a prophetic call against the evils of segregation. Nor did he begin with the idealistic notion of starting a monastic commune in rural Georgia. He didn't reject the nationalism of World War II and register as a Conscientious Objector, which, in patriotic Dixie was almost unheard of, because he wanted to make a statement against war. He did all of this because he felt that the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 and 7) were "marching orders" for God's people. The words of Jesus, specifically in the Sermon on the Mount, were the framework for God's Kingdom. As Jordan said, he wanted Koinonia to be "a demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God." He wasn't a civil rights leader, a monastic leader, or anti-war protest leader. Jordan simply believed that these concepts were clearly Jesus' instructions for us. As Joe Maendel, a friend of Jordan and a devout Hutterite, recalled:<br /><blockquote>I had been trained to think that Jesus' words were in the Bible from one end to the other, that the whole book from the first page to the last contained God's words on law and order. Clarence just put his arm around me and said, 'Joe, you don't know how to read the Bible.' And then he took me home and showed me.<br /><br />He showed me where some of the Bible is just history, where some of it is just telling how so-and-so applied what Jesus said, and how some of it just sets the stage for what Jesus did or said. he told me there is only one place where Jesus starts giving orders and that was in Matthew five, six and seven. He showed me how Jesus didn't talk about community or how to be a Christian -- he talked about love, and mercy, and humbleness -- and Clarence said if you have these, you have community automatically. Clarence said you can argue about the rest of the Bible if you want to, but there is no argument about Matthew five, six, and seven.</blockquote>Clarence Jordan had only one cause, his singular desire was to enter deeper into God's Kingdom. We have visited several churches over the past few years, and we have attended several conferences. In many instances, opportunities are presented for people to get involved with different "causes." The opportunity to support those digging wells in impoverished nations, or the chance to work with those involved in distributing the Gospel to communist nations. While I whole-heatedly support the efforts of these organizations and individuals who are tangibly loving their neighbors, I also know first hand that when we become <span style="font-style: italic;">about </span>a cause we can quickly get burnt out. One week our hearts are impacted by a video we watched and so we give a little to help build a well in India. The next week we hear about a friend who is helping an organization to end human trafficking. Drawn into the heart-wrenching stories, we try to get more involved. We wonder how we can become involved in so many different "causes," and with the typical American's busy life, the only solution is to give financially. That subdues our conscience -- for a while. The well has been dug, people in the village now have water . . . . what's next? Homelessness? Hunger? Orphans?<br /><br />Once again, many founders, workers and donors to these causes are centered in the middle of God's Kingdom, but many times it feels like some Christian circles can become a trendy social justice<span style="font-size:100%;"> À la carte</span>. Our faith becomes schizophrenic, scattering our time, energy and finances over logo ladened t-shirts, bumper stickers and self-righteous pats on the back.<br /><br />Jordan advocated for Jesus followers to give. He quoted Augustine in his letter to supporters in 1968:<br /><blockquote>"'He who possesses a surplus possesses the goods of others.' That's a polite way of saying that anybody who has too much is a thief. If you are a 'thief,' perhaps you should set a reasonable living standard for your family and restore the 'stolen goods' to humanity."</blockquote>But the giving wasn't sparked by a cause, it was sparked by the Kingdom. Jordan didn't try to convince others to live communally, fight racism, or become pacifists, in other words, he wasn't looking for a cause to fight. Instead, he was trying to convince folks that we must enter into God's Kingdom. Furthermore, Jordan believed that the Sermon on the Mount was the summary of Jesus' teaching about the Kingdom. By putting the ideals laid out in the Sermon on the Mount into action in our daily lives, justice, which is God's "cause," will naturally (and supernaturally), become our "cause."<br /></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-90184363506498200092011-12-19T19:47:00.000-08:002011-12-19T22:41:51.358-08:00Point of Sale Salvation<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSqeoLBsvwLAj5GvfIiN5b-3V5rXsoJ3RItXzG_xFNM-hmXdupYBkmaOHJEXxA9PFxxmTC1xcRIxpek_0ET-4kPlaOvDLq2oN9lg8FJ_C_CHgIyWEkRACjSu7WNzx9ABiHwSyCypfhuQ0/s1600/funny-pictures-history-heavenly-pizza.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSqeoLBsvwLAj5GvfIiN5b-3V5rXsoJ3RItXzG_xFNM-hmXdupYBkmaOHJEXxA9PFxxmTC1xcRIxpek_0ET-4kPlaOvDLq2oN9lg8FJ_C_CHgIyWEkRACjSu7WNzx9ABiHwSyCypfhuQ0/s320/funny-pictures-history-heavenly-pizza.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688083654903805474" border="0" /></a>I can't remember exactly when I prayed "the" prayer. Maybe I was three or four, possibly five, my mom probably knows. It doesn't seem that significant now. I remember telling people that my true conversion occurred when I was 19. After the spiritual high wore off, it didn't feel much different and I went on making the same mistakes, questioned what it all meant and struggled with knowing what it meant to "believe" in Jesus. It was / is more of a <span style="font-style: italic;">process </span>than an instantaneous conversion. Today I can say that I am assured of my salvation; I know who I am in Christ. I have heard somewhere that salvation happens instantly, but sanctification is a process. I don't know. Paul said that we must "work out our salvation," so he would probably disagree with the whole "instantaneous" thing.<br /><br />I have never pushed the whole prayer thing with my own kids. I guess I'm not really willing to pressure or even gently and lovingly persuade my kids into doing something I'm not even sure about. This isn't to say that I don't think proclaiming that you know and love Jesus isn't an important and life altering decision in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">someone's</span></span> life, or that parents that have or plan to talk to their kids about "accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior," are doing something inappropriate. It is just something that I am personally choosing not to pursue with my kids. Something I want them to become curious about and really want to do it, not something I planted or indoctrinated them with. I recall telling campus missionaries that tried to "save" me in college that Christianity was my parent's religion. Maybe that's because I prayed "the" prayer before I knew that I could make it mine, before I knew what it even meant to follow Jesus (which I still don't fully understand).<br /><br />I think the bigger question here is what does it even mean to be "saved." Theologically, the "work" of salvation has already happened on the cross, but what does it take to be "saved." Should we simply <span style="font-style: italic;">believe</span>? Must we then <span style="font-style: italic;">proclaim </span>what we <span style="font-style: italic;">believe</span>? Is that it? Most mainstream Evangelicals treat salvation like a point of sale transaction. Once you swipe your eternity debit card through the machine and punch in your Jesus PIN number, you are good to go. But I have problems with this definition of salvation. It is obvious to me that it isn't some instantaneous occurrence where a little bell rings in Heaven and half-naked baby angels begin to celebrate. I also believe that shedding this type of view is essential to our understanding of what it means to enter into the Kingdom of God and both know and follow Jesus. The "cost of discipleship" discussed in Luke 14 should tell us that it is more than simply praying.<br /><br />One of my favorite translations is the New Living Translation. Reading through the New Testament I have noticed that nearly every time the translation uses the word "believers" it has an asterisk. In the footnote it reads "Greek: disciples." I wonder why the translators chose to use "believers" instead? "Disciple" is so much richer in context. To be a believer (someone who knows) has a much different meaning than a disciple (someone who imitates).<br /><br />In John 8, Jesus is speaking to a crowd of people. Early on, He is speaking directly to the "unbelievers," but then he turns his focus to the "believers":<br /><blockquote>"Jesus said to the people who believed in him, <span class="woj">“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.</span> <span class="woj">And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”</span> </blockquote>It sounds like you can be a "believer" and not be free. Only by following his teachings can you become a disciple and learn the truth, and only then will you be set free.<br /><br />In Matthew 7, Jesus says that simply calling out to him (praying?) will not automatically mean you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You must actually <span style="font-style: italic;">do </span>something (be a disciple):<br /><blockquote>“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter." (Matthew 7:21)</blockquote><span class="woj">The question that follows is "what exactly are the 'teachings' of Jesus?"</span><br /><blockquote>“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, <span class="woj">“‘You must love the L</span><span class="woj"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ord</span></span></span></span> <span class="woj">your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’</span> <span class="woj">This is the first and greatest commandment.</span> <span class="woj">A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:36-39)</span></blockquote><span class="woj">And in John, Jesus comes full circle: we must (1) remain faithful to His teachings, (2) His teachings are to love and (3) if we love we prove we are a true disciple:</span><br /><blockquote><span class="woj">"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”</span> (John 13:35)</blockquote>I write all of this not because I have answers, but because I have questions. How can I lead my kids into a deeper and more authentic relationship with Jesus? How can I allow freedom for my children to make their own decisions and be true disciples of Jesus? I think part of the reason I don't want to lead my children through a simple pray and profession of faith is that following Jesus is so much deeper than that. I want my children to be disciples of Jesus, not just believers in Him. <br /></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-39106140608469750752011-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:002011-12-09T07:21:03.416-08:00Our Abba Father<p style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted on our MSM blog on November 24th, 2008:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have been overwhelmed on a couple of occasions here in Charlotte. Once was when Avery and I sat in on a Bible study at <a href="http://www.hoskinspark.org/">Hoskins Park</a>. Hoskins is a transitional housing ministry that gets men off the streets and helps them plug back into society. I sat near the back with a few guys I had met earlier that night listening to the speaker as he talked about the attributes of God – How do we see Him? Who is He to us? The room was filled with men who were broken in one form or another, myself included. I slowly brought my eyes across the small room with probably more than 40 men stuffed in it. I saw some men eagerly taking notes, I saw others focused intently on the speaker, I saw one man sleeping, and being nudged by fellow brothers with stern looks on their faces. I saw another young man, actually the first I had met that night, get up slowly from his seat and stagger towards the door, errantly grasping for the door knob until finally he clumsily made his way outside, followed quickly by a couple of staff. Turns out that sometime between the time I met him and Bible study he had downed a 5th of vodka and had to be taken to the hospital. We were all broken, none more than any other. I got a sense that the men were “for” each other, and believed in the staff who lived right there with them.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As I held Avery in my lap and listened, a feeling of joy rushed over me, Jesus was with us, and only His healing can truly “heal” us. It’s amazing when a group of broken people gather together. More importantly, broken people who are ready for the Lord to work. I was inspired by these men. I got a sense of community from Hoskins Park. I also got the sense that the Lord wanted me to tell them all that He was proud of them, that even though they have all been pulled through the muck and mire, that it doesn’t discount their story, it doesn’t make their impact on others invalid. That actually the opposite was true, their stories, thier testimonies, even though incomplete, were given to them by God, by our Abba Father, and He wants us to shout them to anyone who wants to listen.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I love it when Avery tells me a story, about what he learned in Sunday school that day, or what he heard downtown from somebody, I want to hear him, I want to listen. That is what God, our Abba Father wants from us. He wants to hear our story, our testimony of what He has done in our lives. I was overwhelmed, like every single man’s story in that room the other night was downloaded into my mind, like I knew them well, their struggles, their victories, and I hadn’t heard one of them. The Lord was confirming in my own soul that when His people come together, and earnestly seek Him with transparency, and honesty, realizing our own brokenness, great things can happen. God honored that. Afterwards, men I had never met or talked to, men from completely different social, and economic backgrounds came up to Avery and I and gave us hugs, thanking us for being there. Overwhelming.</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-62982407905798385962011-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:002011-11-30T17:52:49.614-08:00Prosperity Doctrine Debunked<p style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted on our MSM blog November 26th, 2008:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you are much younger than I am, you probably don’t even remember Jim Bakker and the PTL (Praise The Lord Club). Back in the 60s, Bakker was the first host of The 700 Club, then started his own televangelist show, The PTL Club, on Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), eventually owning the rights to the show. He used his power and influence to embezzle millions of dollars, which he was convicted of and sentenced to prison. Interestingly enough, the property that Forest Hill Church in Charlotte is on, was owned by the Bakker’s, and it was not only the studio location of The PTL Club which, on a daily average, reached the TV sets of an estimated 12 million viewers, but it was also their home (the staff at Forest Hill called that building “the mansion”), which Forest Hill now uses as office, and small group meeting space.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Now, why am I writing about Jim Bakker you ask? Well first off, let me make it clear, there is no connection whatsoever between Jim Bakker or the PTL and Forest Hill Church. Forest Hill purchased the property long after the scandal, long after Bakker was in prison. The campus is huge, there have been add-ons and renovations. One that intrigued me was in the basement, below the filming studio, where Bakker had installed a pool, with Roman-looking columns and lavish molding and architecture. Forest Hill renovated the pool to create the youth worship room by just laying down flooring over the top of it, yep, just a hollow pool just beneath rowdy 8th graders (good thing none of their parents read this website <img src="http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif?m=1308958506g" alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">So, back to the question, why am I writing about Jim Bakker? I couldn’t help but think about Jim Bakker and his cronies lounging around the pool or sitting in the sauna talking about the prosperity doctrine or some other skewed theology that justified his lavish spending and complete disregard for other people. Then, ironically, we had the opportunity to talk about poverty, the homeless and poor in Bakker’s old living room, and on top of his pool. Our God has a great sense of humor. Twenty years prior, in the same room, people were talking about how material prosperity, particularly financial prosperity and success in business and personal life, is to be expected as external evidence of God’s favor. Then last week we had the opportunity to share the true and simple Gospel. Classic.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Here are some scriptures we used in our presentation that I’m not sure were fully understood until Forest Hill took over the property:</p> <blockquote><p>Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. (Luke 12:33)</p> <p>Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (I Timothy 6:17-19)</p> <p>If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. (I John 3:16-19)</p> <p>Whatever you have done for the least of these brothers of mine, you have done to me. (Matthew 25:40)</p></blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">In all of our travels we have seen very few churches who reach out in more tangible and meaningful ways to the poor and marginalized than at Forest Hill. Thanks Forest Hill for helping debunk false doctrine.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">(Additional note: In prison Bakker started to actually read the Bible. He then came out with a book called <em>I Was Wrong</em> where he wrote “The more I studied the Bible, however, I had to admit that the prosperity message did not line up with the tenor of Scripture. My heart was crushed to think that I led so many people astray. I was appalled that I could have been so wrong, and I was deeply grateful that God had not struck me dead as a false prophet!”)</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-68198863412730603572011-11-20T07:28:00.000-08:002011-11-20T07:29:22.554-08:00The Big Buster Fiasco<p style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted September 13th, 2008 on our MSM blog:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you haven’t been paying attention to the news from Illinois, it is raining in Chicago. Day and night, night and day it is raining. Here is a picture of the flooding.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/perry-11.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-170" title="perry-11" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/perry-11.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">So we needed somewhere to park Big Buster because we were headed to Jesus People USA for a week, and there isn’t much RV parking in downtown Chicago. We were offered a place to park by a guy who is part of Reba Place Fellowship and owns a vacant lot in Evanston. He showed us were it was and then drove off. The whole place was washed over in mud, so you couldn’t tell where the asphalt ended and where the dirt started. I tried to keep it as close to the right as possible, but about 30 ft. in were branches from a tree that I had to avoid. As I steered left we began to sink. We got all the way up to our axle and storage containers along the entire driver side. The view from the back had us tilted almost to where it looked like it would just tip over. I spent 2 hours digging out the entire driver side so that when the tow truck pulled us out they didn’t scrape the undercarriage. The tow company had to get the “extra-duty” truck, but they got it out. No damage. </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130009.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-171 aligncenter" title="p9130009" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130009.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130010.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-172 aligncenter" title="p9130010" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130010.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">I was thinking as I helplessly looked at the back of </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">the RV tilting to one side: What if the earth swallowed up Big Buster? </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">What if this was the end of our trip? His answer: I would point you in a different direction, I would bless you in a different way, the world would not end, and in some ways, it might end up being better, because you would have a story to tell. </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Big Buster (unfortunately) will be destroyed by moths and rust, our God is much bigger than that box I was putting Him in. The Lord rushed in and gave me a sense of peace and almost tranquility about the situation. God is good – ALL THE TIME!<br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">This is what Serenity and the kids did while I was digging.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130016.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-173" title="p9130016" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130016.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130021.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-174" title="p9130021" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130021.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130017.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-175" title="p9130017" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9130017.jpg?w=225&h=300" alt="" height="300" width="225" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">And although the Lord didn’t take away Big Buster, we still have a story.</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-61966540339969471392011-11-20T07:24:00.000-08:002011-11-20T07:25:01.663-08:00Jesus People USA<p style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted September 23rd, 2008:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We had a great time at Jesus People USA last week!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91600101.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-197" title="p91600101" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91600101.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">We were welcomed by Anna, the gal in charge of hospitality of volunteers and guests, and directed to our humble abode that our family would be living in for the next 7 days.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91500081.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-195" title="we stayed in the first floor" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91500081.jpg?w=225&h=300" alt="" height="300" width="225" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">We then took a couple days to settle in and get adjusted to the new schedule and new surroundings. They provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for all the residents, guests, and volunteers. What a treat! Having our own apartment AND being served each meal was like vacation to us!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9150002.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-196" title="playground at JPUSA" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p9150002.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">During last week we “did life” with Jesus People. Each day was filled with meeting new people, eating with everyone in the cafeteria, participating in the food bag program at the shelter, watching the kids all play together on the playground, figuring out the bus system, visiting some of the Chicago city parks, doing laundry in the basement of JPUSA late at night, and joining everyone for church on Sunday.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91500042.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-198" title="dorm-style living in an old hotel" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p91500042.jpg?w=225&h=300" alt="" height="300" width="225" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">One of the biggest things that stood out to us was the diversity of JPUSA. The top three levels of the building was an assisted living community that Jesus People took care of and lived with. A group of students had just been welcomed to start the Project 12 program that is an intensive discipleship program for newcomers. Then there are all the folks who have made the commitment to live there and call it “home”. Many of them had been there for 10+ years, raising their families there and taking part in the common work that supports the financial burdens of the community. All these people consisted of whites, blacks, goths, punks, travelers, children, young families, elderly, jocks, artists, musicians, hippies, and even a pirate who greeted Andy with “Ahoy!”. It was a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Honestly, our time at Jesus People was a place that ministered to <strong>us</strong>. We were blessed by their gracious hospitality and welcoming spirits. We left knowing that we had made friends and kindred spirits. We were encouraged by their stories and what the Lord had taught them through living in a community of believers. They had experienced ups and downs, times of passion, times of complacency, change, division, mistakes made within their community, joy, heartache, and many, many times of working through differences. Someone made a statement that really summed it up, “You either come and learn or you realize you are not ready and leave.” Community is not easy but can bring more joy than you could ever experience on your own.</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-36683517380878013062011-11-17T22:02:00.000-08:002011-11-17T22:03:25.062-08:00This little spot needs some Jesus<p style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted on October 20th, 2008 on our Mustard Seed Ministries blog:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We went down a few blocks from our parking spot at the Jubilee House to Dorchester Ave. today to give out some free coffee. Most people wouldn’t make eye contact with me, and even more didn’t want anything I was offering. This is what I did most of the morning:</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pa200032.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-278" title="pa200032" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pa200032.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">But that was OK. We pray for an attitude of simplicity, and when we keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, whatever comes our way is a blessing. That may be feeding hundreds and praying for just as many, or it could be handing out 8 cups of coffee and listening deeply with those 8 people. I was able to pray for one Vietnamese man named Gree (probably spelled much differently) who had lost his job 7 months ago and was looking for work — any work. With his broken English he told me his story about working hard the past 7 years and always having work. The fact that he lived in the same place for all 7 of the years yet his landlord kicked him out just yesterday. I prayed with him that he would find a job, but that more importantly he would see Jesus revealed in his life, and that Jesus would become the only thing that he truly “needed.”</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The most enjoyable friend that I met was a guy named Ron. Ron approached me as I was sitting exactly like the picture above. He didn’t make eye contact until he was a few feet away. When he did I asked him if he wanted some free coffee and his immediate (and I mean immediate) response was “NO!” Then not 4 seconds later he came back around the corner and said, “what did you say?” I repeated the same thing, “would you like some free coffee?” He smiled from ear to ear and a look of disbelief came over his face. “Your just giving free coffee away? Sure, I love coffee, I have no idea why I said ‘No’ I love coffee. Something made me just stop and turn around.” The whole time a huge infectious smile crossed his face. Then he asked, “So, why do you do this?” I simply said “Jesus.” Ron’s face changed to a serious look and he seemed like he was going to cry, not in a blubbering kind of way, but in a way that he couldn’t stop because he was moved. He glanced slightly upward as to look to God and with his hand on his chest he started to tell me about his relationship with God, and as his story went on so did his excitement. Ron was a great encouragement on a day we had to pour out a bunch of coffee.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pa200034.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-279" title="pa200034" src="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pa200034.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="" height="225" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Ron went on to say that he wasn’t even going to come down the block I was on, but something led him that direction. He also said that the small park we were set up at was the exact ground that a Vietnamese gang had “claimed.” Some stabbings and even some shootings had occurred there in the past months. He mentioned, “This little spot needs some Jesus.”</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184819837686827598.post-71581650954481391602011-11-15T16:58:00.000-08:002011-11-15T17:01:44.516-08:00Veggie Oil Ratings<p style="text-align: justify;" style="text-align: center;">See post below to know why I am reposting from our MSM blog.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" style="text-align: center;">Originally posted on September 28th, 2008:<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/grease2.jpg" href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/grease2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-215 aligncenter" title="grease2" src="http://mustardseedministries.wordpress.com/files/2008/09/grease2.jpg?w=300" alt="" src="http://mustardseedministries.wordpress.com/files/2008/09/grease2.jpg?w=300" height="199" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but a while back we added a segment on the left hand column of our website called "currently running our RVs on vegetable oil from . . . " Next to the name of the restaurant we pumped the grease from is a number in parentheses. Tim and I have a rating system we use when discussing grease. Usually when we pull up behind a restaurant to look in the grease bin, only one of us gets out to look inside. When the lone scout returns the discussion usually goes a little something like this: "It looks like around a 7, about 50 gallons. Do you want to go in and ask or do you want me to?" Our rating system goes as follows:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1 - straight fat, usually makes Tim dry heave</p><p style="text-align: justify;">2 - some grease, some fat, probably smells terrible and stays with you for a while</p><p style="text-align: justify;">3 - possibly garbage or something else (we saw a dead bird in one grease bin)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">4 - some grease, but a fatty sludge floating in it as well</p><p style="text-align: justify;">5 - this is the lowest rating that we actually use. A 5 is not fatty, but very dark. The managers of these restaurants get the most out of their grease, but hey, it still drives.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">6 - slightly lighter, and no fat</p><p style="text-align: justify;">7 - an amber color, looks a little closer to what fuel should look like</p><p style="text-align: justify;">8 - similar to a nice pale ale, but I wouldn't drink it</p><p style="text-align: justify;">9 - we call a "9" -- Qdoba grease. This stuff looks like honey, and drives just as smooth</p><p style="text-align: justify;">10 - SVO or straight vegetable oil -- we've never gotten this stuff for free.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/grease1.jpg" href="http://mustardseedministries.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/grease1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-216" title="grease1" src="http://mustardseedministries.wordpress.com/files/2008/09/grease1.jpg?w=300" alt="" src="http://mustardseedministries.wordpress.com/files/2008/09/grease1.jpg?w=300" height="199" width="300" /></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not all nationwide chains have the same rating. For example, we looked in <em>Sonic </em>grease bins a dozen times and didn't want anything to do with it, but the <em>Sonic </em>in Rock Springs, WY, was an 8. One nationwide chain has continually received the same low rating - <em>Outback Steakhouse</em>. Take it from us, beware of the bloomin' onion.</p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707842007186123726noreply@blogger.com0