I Want

Ok, I agree with my wife and kids. I may be a bit hard to shop for.  It’s not that I have risen above materialism, but I can’t really think of much that I desire from the mall. So for those curious about my “wants” on this my 58th birthday, here is a partial list (off the top of my head) –

I want my children and grandchildren to know how much God loves them and how beautiful and gifted they are.

I want everyone in my family – near and far – to become more radically committed to Jesus and his mission of love in the world. This includes me.

I want to pray with someone today as they say yes to Jesus and enter the family of God.

I want churches in Orlando, Birmingham, Starkville, Oxford, Tallahassee, Charlotte, Hattiesburg, Lexington, Nashville, Knoxville and Tampa to begin transforming hospitality ministries to the Chinese scholars God is bringing to their communities.

I want to laugh more.

I want to be a better lover of people.

I want peace and deliverance from pain and worry for my dear mom and other family members.

I want my “son” Runner (China) to find the love of his life and continue to grow as a mighty man of God.

I want to go to heaven, and to hear the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

I want to dance… probably just in heaven.

And I want my fellow June 17-birthday-buddies to have a wonderful day.

• Rivers Rutherford, my favorite country music writer/performer and dear brother in Christ
• Mitch Schrenk, my Orlando buddy and a source of great encouragement and laughter
• Larissa Lam Chiu, my sister in California that is one of my favorite worship leaders/song-writers

Thanks for all the birthday greetings. Pray that all my wishes will be fulfilled.

Red means Go

There is a big gap between Easter and Christmas – 8 months. But in the liturgical calendar, today is Pentecost. You may know little or nothing about this celebration.

There are no Pentecost sales at the mall. There isn’t a marketing figure like a Santa or a big rabbit. No companies provide a paid holiday for Pentecost. Families don’t travel for miles around to gather and eat on this day.

The Church fathers established Pentecost as an annual time of reflection (along with Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Easter, etc.) in order that disciples would never forget the core tenets of the Faith. Their plan has had limited impact.

The biblical theme of Pentecost is generally Acts 2. The Spirit is poured out on the followers of Jesus and international visitors in Jerusalem that day – in keeping with His promise in Acts 1:8 and elsewhere. Many church leaders will use this Sunday to celebrate the third Person of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit). Others will celebrate the diversity in their own congregations or in the global Body of Christ. Both of these are vital and important… but inadequate.

The liturgical color of Pentecost is RED, and in this case, red means GO.

I pray that today – and every day – we will remember that the Holy Spirit has entered our lives not for our own sakes but for the glory of God and the good of the world.

After Acts 2 the disciples were clearly more empowered and intimately connected by the Spirit. Great things began to happen in Jerusalem. But they did not initially move out to other areas (Judea, Samaria and the uttermost). Great worship, great teaching, great fellowship, great sharing of resources with each other, BUT no outward, cross cultural outreach.

Finally God used persecution to scatter the disciples and their witness. And eventually the wonderful people of God in Antioch caught the vision and began to strategically participate in God’s mission in keeping with Acts 1:8.

Outreach is a core tenet of our faith. It is not an extra-curricular option. Until and unless we dynamically engage in outreach to those beyond our own cultures, we will be short of biblical discipleship.

Not much of this emphasis in your church today? Write a kind note to the leaders. Volunteer to help create a celebration for 2012 that honors Christ and moves people out.  

Red means GO. Let’s elevate this core-discipleship challenge appropriately. Who knows what might happen.

11 Checkpoints for Disaster Response

When a person allows the Spirit of Jesus to enter his or her heart, a transformation begins. One of the fruit of this new life is an increased sensitivity to the suffering of others – similar to Jesus being moved with compassion (Mt. 14:14, 15:32, 20:34). As Christ followers, we have a new heart and new values. It is natural, therefore, when we feel compelled to take action in the face of pain and suffering.

This God-given attraction is sometimes confused (or even exploited) by the media and others with various motivations. People take action to help those affected by disasters for various reasons – not just because they are following Jesus. Would you allow this possibility? There should be a difference in the way Christians and the rest of the world respond to crises. 

I pray that the following guidelines help you lift high the light of God’s love in such a way that legitimate, underserved needs are met and Jesus Christ is glorified.

1. Identify your reasons for wanting to participate. Possible motivations include peer pressure, guilt, pride (bragging rights or good PR for your company), or in order to have a teaching point for your children, I am not judging any of those motivations other than pride. But if your primary motivation is to bring practical assistance that demonstrates God’s transforming love, celebrate this desire as evidence of God’s Spirit in your life.
2. See the big picture. The needs being highlight by the media today are not the only needs in the world. In fact, they might not even be the most critical needs. People in countless places suffer horribly throughout the year, but most never appear on our television screens.
3. Lift up Jesus. Give where non-Christians are not likely to give. People of various faiths and no faith will make donations to the obvious organizations – those highlighted by the media. But you are a Christian. You realize that there is spiritual suffering as well as physical. Consider giving donations to ministries (including the church in the affected area) that are holistically addressing the needs of people – soul and body.
4. Don’t make a hasty decision. A good steward puts in the time necessary to make informed decisions. Don’t be overly influenced by the media invitation by your favorite movie star or athlete. If you already have a relationship with a trustworthy ministry, ask them if they are involved in this crisis.
5. Bigger is not necessarily better.  Large agencies generally get all the media attention. Don’t overlook much smaller organizations that focus on a specific need.
6. Think years not hours. There are some immediate needs in every crisis, but the affected population will have complicated and various needs for weeks, months and years.
7. Think beyond finances. Consider non-financial ways God may call you to join him in responding to the crisis. Is there a way to get your company involved? Could you respond to the crisis by giving your time? This may not necessarily mean going to the scene of the crisis. Perhaps you could help mobilize your church.
8. Think of local connections. Consider connecting with people locally that are related to the particular geography where the crisis occurs. For example, if the disaster is in Japan, reach out to Japanese international students, restaurant workers or churches in your community.
9. Do no harm.  Some actions that are intended to help actually hurt. Unwise charity creates dependency. Aid without relationships can create bitterness and, in the case of Christian aid, resistance to the Gospel. Work with organizations that aid in a way that shows respect to recipients and includes a path for them to assume responsibility for their own lives and community as soon as possible.
10. Pray and act. No matter what else you do, pray. And pray more specifically than “God, bless those poor people…” Think of specific challenges your particular family would have if you were a resident of the affected area. Involve your children in this brainstorming… and then pray. Remember to pray especially for the Christian residents and Christian workers in the area.
11. Focus on eternity. Because of the fall of humankind (sin, Genesis 3), suffering and death will be a part of the human experience until the Lord of Life intervenes. We will all face death in one way or another. An eternal perspective does not lessen our concern for or response to the suffering others. However, this perspective reminds us that physical pain and death are not the greatest tragedies. For those who have responded in faith to the grace of Jesus Christ, a day of ultimate victory and healing is coming. Here is the ultimate tragedy. There are hundreds of millions of people who face the pain of life and the reality of death without any knowledge of the transforming love of Jesus Christ.

God is the First Responder. Our action is only a reaction to God’s invitation. 

If you want help in making this or other decisions related to strategic participation in the mission of God, please contact us.  FollowOne International. 

Race, Reconciliation and Real Life

Some thoughts on race and life from one in recovery -

1. Racial reconciliation involves more than political correctness. Not every relationship, office or church that appears to be reconciled is in fact reconciled. Healing comes one person at a time. It is not a corporate event.
2. Diversity is not the same thing as reconciliation.
3. I’m not sure how I can be held guilty or accountable for the sins of white racist predecessors. That’s not the primary issue. I have my own sins and tendencies to deal with.
4. I am not the one who decides what is racist or not. It doesn’t matter what I think. It is what the other person thinks – the offended party.
5. Some people claim they have never owned a racist thought or action. Even if that is true, they have probably been the beneficiary of racism (especially white folks like me).
6. Racism is not just an issue in the southern part of the United States; nor is it just a black and white conflict. It occurs across the nation and around the world because it is rooted in basic human nature: pride, fear and the depravity of the soul. Any demographic or race that has power can be lured into racism.
7. Intentional participation in transforming process of racial reconciliation is foundational for those seeking to become grace-filled disciples of Jesus Christ. I wish I had started earlier than age 30.
8. Healing requires honesty, courage, intentionality and a long term commitment.
9. Reading and prayer are important in the process, but there is no substitute for face-to-face involvement with people in other cultures and races.
10. Since most racism is heavily influenced by heritage, a commitment to reconciliation calls for careful parenting, including worship, education and recreational decisions.
11. Freedom from this sin, fear and disease – and from the pain caused by it – is found in Christ alone.

What steps can you take to deal with the obvious, latent or smothered reality of racism in your life? What steps can you take to communicate racial equality and an appreciation for the sacrifices of people like Martin Luther King Jr.?

Possible Action Steps

• Visit the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.
• Stop at one of the many sites in the South that are marked in memory of those involved in civil rights – Atlanta, Birmingham and elsewhere.
• Read a book on the history of civil rights or racial reconciliation. Or what about a book a year?
• Watch movies about race and civil rights struggles.
• Honestly consider your own family background and heritage – not to create guilt but to be authentic and intentional.
• When making educational choices for your children, consider reconciliation issues as well as the quality of education in various settings.
• Have you ever asked people of a different race to have a meal in your home?
• Seek out a friend of a different race and ask them to mentor you on the topic of race and reconciliation.
• Regardless of how prestigious it might be, why would you be a part of a club or organization that has racist practices or policies (yes, I’m including country clubs)?
• It is one thing to never use humor or language that might be considered racist. It is another thing to smirk or even laugh when someone else resorts to this. Would Jesus really smirk? What might he/we do instead?
• Confess your sins and ask Liberator Jesus to set you free.

Share with the blog-world other things you have done in this area…?

Part 2 of 3

My Pilgrimage Away from Racism

In honor of the life and contributions of Martin Luther King Jr., I am sharing a bit about my pilgrimage as a white boy reared in the religious but mainly racist environment of Mississippi in the 1950s and 60s. God has begun a good work in me, a work that I pray brings joy to the cause and work of MLK, Jr.

• 1953 I was born in Jackson, MS. I am the son the wonderful, church-going, hard-working, loving parents. Both my parents grew up on rural farms in the South, and mirrored the values of the dominant culture on race and most other issues.
• 1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, a leader that confronted the destructive power of racism especially in the South. I am embarrassed and humiliated to admit that I remember rejoicing when I heard this news. At age 10 perhaps I was just glad to get out of school, or perhaps the disease racism was already showing up.
• 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Sadly, I have no memory of this loss although it occurred 200 miles from my home. I was 15 years old.
• 1969 The school system of Jackson, MS was integrated during my junior year in high school. There were big changes including the cancellation of our prom. “What an injustice!” we cried. I was totally ignorant of the true injustice that caused the forced integration.
• 1970 I was converted to Christ as a senior in high school. This was real and authentic, but Christ had (and has) a lot more work to do in my life. God gave me a passion to share his transforming love with others, and I did. But all the “others” in my life were white Americans.
• 1972 I took my first job in youth ministry. Over the following 16 years, I served 6 churches in this capacity. Pretty much all white kids in all white churches. I don’t remember ever teaching on anything related to racial reconciliation.
• 1975 I began four years of education at Asbury Theological Seminary. I have no memory of wrestling with the issue of race during these years.
• 1980 While serving as youth minister of a church in Meridian, Mississippi, I was introduced to John Perkins and Voice of Calvary Ministries (VOC) in Jackson, Mississippi. I was amazed that I had never been told about this great man when I was living in Jackson.
• 1981 I began taking groups of youth and adults to serve as volunteers in VOC in Jackson. I also began to read Perkin’s books, beginning with Let Justice Roll Down. I slowly began to understand the racist history of my state and my own life. Real people, actual events in my lifetime.
• 1983 I started working as youth minister at a Memphis church. Because this city was the site of Dr. King’s assassination and because of the very real racist tension there, Memphis is seen by many as a symbol of racist hate and evil. That became obvious to me after a few months in Memphis, but I still gave no specific attention to the racism in my own life.
• 1986 For some unknown reason, I received an invitation to a consultation in Chicago on racial reconciliation co-sponsored by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE, predominantly white) and the National Association of Black Evangelicals (NABE). To this day, I have no idea why I read the “junk” mail invitation or decided to go – other than the grace of God. For the first time in my life, I sat face to face with black men and women and heard their painful stories. I also heard the stories of white racists. I witnessed reconciliation. It was very moving. For the first time, I admitted that I had racist roots and tendencies that had to be redeemed. I knew that I would never be the same again.
• 1987 I began to serve as minister of missions at the same Memphis church. This involved in urban ministry as well as international ministry. During this season, I began to be very intentional about my racial healing. God gave me two great gifts – new black friends, Pastor Freddie Moore and brother Roy “Soup” Campbell. I read a lot on racial reconciliation, but most of my healing came through these relationships and our brutally honest discussions. A breakthrough happened when I realized that in addition to owning my own racist thoughts and actions, I have been on the beneficiary of racism.
• 1990 I convinced the Memphis church to begin a racial reconciliation task force, “Let’s do something practical about racism in our lives and in this city.” The task force eventually became a standing committee in the church, and contributed to several accomplishments related to race and reconciliation.
• 1991 One day I was contemplating the courage it took for white and black men, women and children to nonviolently make public statements about race and equality. Not only had I never participated in any rallies or civil rights events, I was oblivious to the need as I was growing up. From that day on, I began participating in at least one public event related to reconciliation each year. Often this has been a parade and/or rally on MLK day. Some of my best memories are about times our family participated in these events. These events don’t require courage, but I feel that I’m walking on ground made holy by the faith, hope, love and blood of people like MLK.
• Today I am still a work in progress. One example. A few weeks ago, my brother Soup called me to humbly help me see some unintended racism in the choice of a name for a ministry event I was helping organize. Soup was absolutely right. I clarified my intent with the other event planners, and we changed the name. None of my white friends had felt any connection between the name of the event and race. Pray for me.

To my Mississippi and Tennessee friends - No offense is intended, and I am certainly in no place to judge. I love both states, and I’m thankful for the changes that have taken place. But like the life of James Loftin, more change is needed.

To my friends outside Mississippi and Tennessee – Don’t get smug or look down on these two states. Mississippi and Tennessee have more good people than you imagine; and perhaps there is more racism in your state than you imagine. No offense… .

What does your journey look like?

God help us all.

Today I am thankful for several friends that have contributed to my journey in reconciliation and deliverance – Freddy Moore, Soup Campbell, John Perkins, Eloise Mays, James Tucker, Charles Hall and Russell West. Thank you for demonstrating forgiveness, tough love, transparency and reconciliation to me.

PART 1 of a 3-part series.