What happens when you die?

Tom Wright is one of my favorite authors. He has written a lot about life after life after death. Here is a link to an interview done by abc.

Rosenstrasse protest

Could non-violence have been used to stop the Holocaust? Sounds crazy, doesn't it.

However there is the interesting story called the Rosenstrasse protest. Allow me to summarize the story. It happened in 1943. Nazis rounded up the last of the Jews in Berlin with the intent of shipping them to concentration camps. However many of them were married to German woman (who were not rounded up). These women showed up at the prison and peacefully protested for about a week (about 6,000 in total). What happened? The Jewish men were released - in fact 25 men were even brought back from Auschwitz.
Perhaps non-violence could have stopped the Holocaust.

Project Censored

I came across a webwite called project censored. "Project Censored is a media research group out of Sonoma State University which tracks the news published in independent journals and newsletters. From these, Project Censored compiles an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the country's major national news media."
It is very interesting. Two stories caught my attention.

From 2007 #18 Physicist Challenges Official 9-11 Story

From 2008 # 11 The Scam of “Reconstruction” in Afghanistan

Raises a few questions. Like why do we have troops in Afghanistan?

Lent

How is lent going?

I have committed to praying the Jesus creed every evening and every morning. The creed is "Hear oh Israel the lord our God, the lord is one. Love the lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."
I found that by reminding myself of this I have been more aware of my need to love the people around me. I guess what I am saying is that I am starting to see how badly I sometimes love.
Also if I am honest I have forgotten to say the Jesus creed some evenings and mornings. Though I have started to get my children to say it before they go to bed.

Genesis and anxiety

Walter Brueggemann in his commentary on Genesis says the creation/fall account deals with anxiety.
"This text may be brought to comment upon the power of anxiety among us: (a) The causes of anxiety among us are wrongly discerned . This text fixes the issue in terms of accepting the realities of our life with God. Our mistake is to pursue autonomous freedom. Freedom which does not discern the boundaries of human life leave us anxious. (b) The attempts to resolve anxiety in our culture are largely psychological, economic, cosmetic. They are bound to fail because they do not approach the causes. (c) Our public life is largely premised on an exploitation of our common anxiety. The advertising of consumerism and the drives of the acquisitive society, like the serpent, seduce into believing there are securities apart from the reality of God."
"Failure to trust God with our lives is death."

Authority of the Bible

Christians claim that the bible is authoritative. What is meant by this is twofold - first that the bible is God's word, literally. The bible is what God has to say to the world. Second is that because it is God's word we are called to obey it.
Now this belief is under attack right now (and has been for a long time). As the church we have defended the authority of scripture, argued for it, written about it. But have we convinced anyone?
I personally don't think we are going to convince very many people about the authority of the bible by well reasoned arguments. One of the reasons for this is that Christians have used the authority of the bible to justify all sorts of injustices. We have recognize that this is our past and regrettably this is our present (as seen in the health and wealth gospel).
What will convince people is if they see the power of God in our lives. If through reading/studying/submitting/meditating on the bible we become more loving and more engaged in justice it will be evident that the bible is authoritative in forming us to be truly human.

coffee with Warren

My Dad sent me an article that Warren Harbeck wrote about peace and reconciliation. Read it at coffee with Warren follow the link "Nigerian imam and pastor heal animosity through love".

Let me know what you think.

self-understanding of the church

Craig Van Gelder, in his book The Ministry of the Missional Church, says that every church has an organizational self-understanding - an understanding that makes up the core of their identity. He says there are three major understandings of the church.
"Established Church. Self-understanding: Exists as the primary geographical location of God's presence on earth through which the world can encounter God, with this authority being legitimated by the civil government."
"Corporate Church. Self-understanding: Exists as an organization with a purposive intent to accomplish something on behalf of God in the world, with this role being legitimated on a voluntary basis."
"Missional Church. Self-understanding: Exists as a community created by the Spirit that is missionary by nature in being called and sent to participate in God's mission in the world."

What understanding does your church have? Do you think it should have a different one?

Mission Fest 2

On Saturday my girls were feeling better so we went to mission fest. It was really good. I enjoyed talking to some of the different missionaries - it is amazing to hear about what God is doing in the world. We also listen to Gracia Burnham. She and her family were missionaries in the Philippines. Gracia and her husband, Martin, were kidnapped and held for just over a year. When the government moved into set Burnham's free Martin was killed in the gun battle. Gracia was rescued. Gracia told a couple of stories about her time in captivity. After telling some stories she talked about sacrificing everything for God. She challenged us to give up everything and join God in his mission in the world.
Did anyone else go? If you did what was your highlight?

Mission fest

This week is Mission Fest in Winnipeg. It should be very exciting to hear about what God is doing in the world. I love wondering around talking to the people from the many different organizations. Hopefully I make out some time this weekend but right now my daughters are sick.