Monday, November 28, 2011

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Über Christ Follower: Lysa McMillan [info-graphic]

I’m so proud of my long-time friend and co-worker Lysa McMillan. I’ve met many people who say they’re passionate about a cause, but few of them put feet to their faith and make things happen.

Lysa shakes things up. She makes it happen. This chick walks the talk.

On January 11, 2012, the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, a team of women from around the globe will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This team of world-changers will be raise awareness, offer prayers, and bring in resources to rescue women and children from oppression, slavery, exploitation and human trafficking. Let’s help them get it done.

Lysa-graphic

Freedom Climb Website

Chicago Tribune Story

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What would it look like if God were in charge around here?

wrightThat is the question renowned New Testament scholar NT Wright asks in this message preached at Willow Creek Community Church recently. Wright has a new book out called Simply Jesus. Wright has written over sixty books about New Testament theology and personalities, several about Jesus. When his wife asked him why he had written another book about Jesus, “He hasn’t changed has He?” she asks Wright.

“No. But I have,” Wright answers.

That’s the nature of a life truly dedicated to the study of Jesus. He doesn’t change; He changes you and the world around you through you.

Listen to Wright’s message here (about 38 minutes long):

Download it here

Or go watch the video here.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Seminary for Homeless, Recovery Addicts & Urban Poor

This is the text of an email I received from Carter Theis. He makes the best ministry videos I've seen.

Since I've been living in San Francisco, I've been exposed to meaningful ministries going on below the surface. One such aspect of that is The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI).

Dennis and I became better friends during the making of this video, even though at first I was afraid to film him, (wouldn't you be??? ha ha, Love Ya Dennis!)

ALL Links to the SAME video:
http://www.enochmagazine.com/
http://www.enochmagazine.com/articles/videos/seminary-for-homeless-recovery-addicts-urban-poor
http://christiandocumentaries.com/seminary-for-the-urban-poor/
http://vimeo.com/31516251
MONEY: Still trying to raise money for a DSLR camera and lens. If you feel called to help us purchase that you can donate here: http://www.enochmagazine.com/donate

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Book Review: After You Believe

after-you-believeAuthor: N.T. Wright
New York, HarperCollins, 2010
Number of pages: 284

Landing an airplane on the Hudson River in the middle of winter and everyone walking away with nothing more than cold wet feet is a miracle. That's what the media called it when Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger set US Airways flight 1549 down on the river across from New York City.

For you or me, this was a miracle. For Sulley, this was a natural course of events in response to an emergency. Skillful, yes. Amazing, no doubt. Bit probably not a miracle.

Tom Wright opens his book After You Believe with this story. Wright isn't debunking miracles; far from it. He's illustrating, rather, the stupendous results of skillfully applying oneself to a task and a craft. "Yes, maybe airline pilots and other people need to practice their skills and learn to keep a cool head, but does this have any significance beyond a purely pragmatic one, that certain tasks demand that some people develop certain abilities?" says Wright as he makes a case for Christian virtue.

Virtue what you work on after you experience the grace of God. "Worship and stewardship, generating justice and beauty: these are the primary vocations of God’s redeemed people," he writes.

Is the Christian life just about getting saved? What happens next? Are we trying to earn God's favor by doing good work? Is it grace? What's the point if no matter what we get heaven? Many Christians get caught up in rule-keeping, keeping just enough rules to get by or hang on until the end. Wright says that there's a bigger purpose to living well: virtue. "Most art requires massively hard work; so does most moral living," Wright says.

Theologians through the centuries have grappled over the idea of virtue. Some say it's a pagan concept originating with Aristotle and Seneca. These men promoted the concept of a "self-made man," yet they in their own lives were hardly successful Martin Luther was even known to thumb his nose at the idea of human virtue.

Yet Paul, Wright points out, says “Yet it was not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15.10). "Daytime people, in Paul’s perspective, are people who are making the choices in the present, developing the character in the present...," Wright reminds his readers.

In Wright's book, Christian living supported with a theological backbone. This book is for any Christian or any God-seeker. A life lived well for God not only makes sense in this life, but it prepares you for the world to come. It's the next logical step in becoming a better person, God's image bearer.