Previous Post – Jesus I Have Loved, But Paul? Blog Tour

Two years ago today, Haiti was rocked by an earthquake magnitude 7.0 Mw, leaving hundreds of thousands dead, as many wounded and over a million people left homeless.  This would devastate any country, but Haiti was already suffering under extreme poverty.  A few months after the quake, I had the opportunity to visit Haiti with Haiti Partners (also see their Canadian office here).  Nothing could have prepared me for the devastation.  (See post about my visit here).

Yet, what was equally amazing was the spirit of the Haitian people.  I remember listening to the WOZO Choir (see above) practice and how they symbolized the beauty of the country and its people.  Through the work of Haiti Partners, I encountered a people with a determination and hope that was humbling.  I cannot overstate my endorsement for this organization.  They are worthy of your daily prayers and regular support.

Kent Annan, my friend, fellow Likewise author and co-director of Haiti Partners, has written two powerful books that I encourage you to buy:

“Following Jesus Through The Eye Of The Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously”

“After Shock: Searching for Honest Faith When Your World Is Shaken”

Also watch this update by John Engle, also a friend and co-director of Haiti Partners:

Previous Post – Stories from the Neighbourhood

With new fatherhood & our Justice DTS upon on, I failed to write several St. Francis posts this past week, including yesterday, the Feast of St. Francis.  So, while delayed, I wanted to point you towards one of my favorite Franciscans, Dan Horan OFM over at DatingGod.com.  His Feast Day post was entitled Following Francis of Assisi Today: Who Are Our Lepers? Here’s an excerpt:

I think that these two constitutive elements of the Franciscan life — humility and poverty — are really important aspects of the Christian life upon which we all can reflect today. That Francis desired the brothers all serve the lepers signifies that they were to transcend the boundaries of social and class distinctions, to risk meeting the stranger and the unknown, to “get dirty” in the messiness of human living, and bring peace, understanding and love all the while. The lepers were the voiceless, the marginalized, the ignored, despised and forgotten. Who are our lepers today? Who are the ones that the rest of the Church, society and world wishes to push off outside of our everyday experience so that we never have to encounter them? They are out there and we are called to be among them.

Previous Post -Sacred Roots

There has been a lot of conversation (and grief) around the recent execution of Georgia death row inmate, Troy Davis.  Davis’s case seems to exemplify exactly the kinds of cases that has brought the death penalty under scrutiny.  When reading through the details, reasonable doubt seems to be less important than it once did.  The consequence of getting something like this wrong- which has been proven to happen far too often before- are irreversible.  There is no going back, thus the need to be as absolutely sure as possible.  Sadly, courts and systems of “justice” seem more motivated by political ends than genuine justice.

The death penalty has become far more real for me over the last year.  I have started to correspond with two death row inmates in two different states.  What distinquishes these conversations for me is the content of correspondence.  While their cases come up, the main focus of our conversations center on personal interests, family, sports and books.  What makes this so significant is that these men are no longer simply “death row inmates”.  They are friends, humanized by the mundane, everyday things that highlight our shared humanity.

What further makes these friendships unique are the particular cases.  While one is admittedly guilty of the heinous murder of two innocent youth, the other- like Davis- maintains his innocence.  Having looked at the case myself (admittedly in the limited way of an amateur), I believe he is innocent.  Yet, also like Davis, he potentially faces a state execution in the coming months.  These two friends could not be more different, yet both are just that- friends.

I am opposed to the death penalty.  While I am especially concerned with the flaws in the system that all too often send innocent people to their deaths, it goes beyond that.  I believe one of my friends is innocent and know that the other is guilty, I equally oppose their executions.  Let me be clear- I do not deny that they deserve execution.  The problem is that when we measure this issue against what a person deserves, we expose ourselves to the same fate before God.  While I will not get into the theological reasons for my convictions here (that deserves more time & space), I believe the death penalty is absolutely incompatible with following Christ.

It is far easier, not to mention socially acceptable, to opposed the execution of men like Davis, whose guilt is far from clear.  As Christians, though, we are not given that kind of freedom.  Jesus calls us to a radical, all-inclusive, offensive grace and love- a grace and love without which we would be no less guilty than the vilest criminal.  So, while I applaud the many Christian voices who have risen in response to Davis’s unjust execution, I ask that we go further.  The Christian community needs to be as indignant and passionate about every execution, regardless of guilt.

What will that mean for you?

Previous Post – The Miracle of Justice

One of the aspects of my life that I am most passionate about is seeing people get the chance to experience Christ in new and transformational ways, participating in His mission alongside a tight-knit community of fellow Jesus followers.  Few things embody this experience better than our annual Justice Discipleship Training School (JDTS).  Having worked with YWAM for more than 17 years, I am more convinced than ever that his program is the “genuine article”.  Here’s some info (PLEASE SHARE THIS!):

Justice Discipleship Training School
September 26th 2011- February 24th 2012

(includes Christmas break)

“What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” -Micah 6:8

Our JDTS is a five month intensive in spiritual and missional formation. The first three months concentrates on engaging students in a holistic discipleship experience that challenges the mind, heart and body in a praxis oriented program. Offered in the heart of Winnipeg’s inner city West End, students will integrate in one of the city’s most culturally diverse, yet poor neighbourhoods. Our emphasis on justice means that as part of the community, students will engage the realities of poverty, injustice, racism and much more, all the while having the opportunity to respond in exciting new ways.

With a strong emphasis on hands on training, every fourth week of the lecture phase will be an intensive local outreach where students will get to be involved in grass-roots urban/justice ministries in the city.  This will allow students to experience and engage the realities of urban missions during the training phase, making the most of what they are learning.

After a short Christmas break, the students return for the outreach & service phase of the school.  This phase is an international, cross-cultural missions service outreach, where students will begin to explore the implication of what they have learned beyond simple application. Again with an emphasis on justice, students will participate in “preaching the Gospel” with their whole selves – in word and deed. Our first school served in restoring the tsunami devastated community of the famous Phi Phi Island in southern Thailand, while two other schools served in Uganda.  Our most recent schools served among displaced people in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Tijuana, Mexico.

The upcoming 2011 JDTS will travel to northern Thailand for their international outreach, working among the migrant community and tribal groups living along the Thai-Burmese border, who are among the poorest and highest at-risk people groups of Thailand.

For more information, feel free to ask me or visit our Justice DTS page.

Previous Post – Churches that Transform Neighbourhoods – 2

Years ago, I found myself at a Christian event that featured a faith healer.  With stunning showmanship, he whipped the crowd into a passionate time of prayer and worship.  Then, to the cheers and awe of everyone around, he began to heal people of all kinds of ailments- no lame walked or blind given sight, mind you, but several sore backs felt better and apparent, a few people didn’t need their glasses (until later that day).  He went on from there asking if anyone wanted to be taller, proceeding to lengthen peoples legs so much that the recipients were sure of that they were taller… kind of… maybe.  I left saddened, frustrated and a little wiser.

Now granted, this example is an extreme one, but one that reveals what often drives peoples curiosity for miraculous healing: a good show!  Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the ability for God to miraculously heal the sick and have seen it done on a few occasions (one even verified by a doctor).  And I don’t even question the sincerity of the faith of those who attend such events or even the faith of some of the healers.  However, the showmanship of so many of these events seem to be about the glory of the healer and the satisfaction (or entertainment) of the on lookers.  There are time when I wonder if this is why we see so few genuine miracles in our day and age, but that’s another topic for another day.

In many ways, I feel a similar dynamic developing around the increasing interest of Christians in issues of justice.  As an inner city missionary who deeply passionate about the place justice has at the heart of the gospel, I am encouraged by this trend.  However, it is not uncommon for people people to get drawn into justice issues for similar reasons as named above (if more subtly expressed).  There is a great deal of “credibility” that comes with being identified as someone who “stands with the poor” or “fights for justice”.  For many young Christians, it is a badge of honour to be about “more than just saving souls”.  Again, while the heart of their (our) convictions is admirable, there is the temptation for our pursuit of justice to be about self-image and identity- its own form of showmanship.

When Jesus healed people, He was motivated first and foremost by love.  Some might argue that when Jesus healed the man who was born blind, stating that it had “happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him”, was using miracles to prove God’s power.  In other words, Jesus was using showmanship here too.  Rather, I believe that the works of God in this case is the restoration of a person devastated by sin born out of love.  Matthew 9 reveals that Jesus saw the inherent connection between miraculous healing and the forgiveness of sin.  And it was because God so loves all creation that His Son died for those sins.

In the same way, we must be careful not to forget that our commitment to “doing justice” must be a response of love, the product of the redemptive work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  As Christians, it is not enough for us to simply be engaged in justice issues just like anyone else.  It must be motivated by the over-arching mission of God to bring redemption to the whole person and the whole of creation.  This might make our approach to justice issues less “popular” to some people in the world around us, but that should not be our concern, for it is God’s glory, not ours, that should concern us.

True justice is a miracle because it is always and only the product of God’s love working through us.  And what could be impossible and miraculous than the grace of God for the forgiveness of sin?

Previous Post – About.met Service

Recently at this blog you will have found that a consistent theme has been counting the cost of following Christ.  Few people have better demonstrated this commitment than Martin Luther King, Jr., who we remembered this weekend at the celebration of his birthday.  He understood what it meant to live the kingdom like few others, embracing the example and teachings of Jesus (especially the Sermon on the Mount), even unto death.

Sadly, it is all to easy for us to sift his words and example through a romanticized filter that allows us to vicariously enjoy the glory of his righteousness without costing us a fraction of the price he paid.  We can boldly stand against the enemies of desegregation, long since defeated, yet fail to consider the implications of Dr. King’s words in light of our own, current reality.

Consider his words in the video below.  Listen to the price demanded of those who persist in pursuing God’s kingdom here and now.  If Dr. King were alive today, he would likely have many more enemies than admirers, for he would undoubtedly stand against the violence of our world- military, social, economic and spiritual.  Just as we have all too often done we Jesus, many attempt to appropriate his example to justify their own compromises.  That is why we must be willing to speak and live the disruptive truth, even when it places in unpopular and even dangerous positions.

Shall we overcome? While we stand with confidence that God will indeed overcome, our participation in that victory will come only if we willingly and actively seek to live the words of Jesus in our lives.  In the words of Dr. King, this change will only happen when there are “true neighbors who are willingly obedient to unenforceable obligations”.

Are you willing?  Am I?

Previous Post – Houses As Missional Icons

(icon of Dorothy Day by William Hart McNichols)

“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us. When we begin to take the lowest place, to was the feet of others, to love our brothers and sisters with that burning love, that passion, which led to the cross, then we can truly say, ‘Now I have begun.’”

-Dorothy Day

Previous Post – Chiara House Building

So often when I hear stories from those who have witnessed, survived and/or participated in the genocide in Rwanda, I find myself overwhelmed.  The level of violence and death is beyond my scope to comprehend.  Equally as overwhelming are those amazing and humbling stories of grace, forgiveness and love that are happening there as well.  And yet, I often find that making the connection to my own life and context can be a stretch.

“Forgiving As We’ve Been Forgiven: Community Practices for Making Peace” bridges this gap beautifully.  Authors Greg Jones (Duke University) and Célestin Musekura (ALARM Inc.) bring together their very unique, but paralleled understanding and experience to offer something that can speak to everyone.  Jones enters into Musekura’s story discovering how people can practice forgiveness in all situations- but it in the midst of genocide or in everyday circumstances of our “normal” lives. As the IVPress website promises: “Together they demonstrate that forgiving and being forgiven are mutually reciprocating practices that lead to transformation and healing.”

I should note here that this book is one of several books by IVPress in the Resources for Reconciliation:

“Friendship at the Margins: Discovering Mutuality in Service & Mission” by Chris Heuertz & Christine Pohl

“Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness” by Stanley Hauerwas & Jean Vanier

“Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing” by Emmanuel Katongole & Chris Rice

“Welcoming Justice: God’s Movement Toward Beloved Community” by John Perkins & Charles Marsh

Having read several, I can safely say that this series is an important one, bring together the wisdom and experience leading theologians with that of grass-roots practitioners.  A great resources to be had.

Previous Post – Neil Cole on Leadership

It started with a tweet: “When God said that ‘there should be no poor among you’, He wasn’t suggesting segregation”.  I must admit that, when I wrote this, I was not trying to be clever.  In all honesty, I was upset.  Upset with the disparity of wealth and privilege in the church.  Upset with how easily we ignore the clear mandates of God on how His people are to live and love.  I was upset with myself for being guilty on all counts.

The quote, of course, is referring to Deuteronomy 15:4 and the mandates of Jubilee, a critical image of the Kingdom life we are called live out in the world in anticipation of it coming in its fullness with Christ.  It was a vision that informed the early church as they sought to live out the teachings and example of Jesus as a community.  It sparked a movement of hospitality, service and peace that has left a powerful impact on human history.  Roman Emperor Julian, a sworn enemy of the faith, noted that the Christian community thrived because of their deep character, selfless service and peaceful nature.  Above all, he marveled that they not only cared for their own sick and poor, but all the sick and poor who were in need.  This was the mark of Christianity, the mark of Christ.

When the disciples expressed concern at the waste of the expensive perfume used to anoint Him, Jesus rebuked them, saying: “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me”.  Too often this verse is used to downplay the mandate for Christians to better respond to the realities of poverty.  However, as suggested by Shane Claiborne, I believe that Jesus was in fact affirming the act of worship while at the same time clearly declaring that the poor would always be with us.  Not in some broad, generalized way, but presently, relationally, actively with us in our communities.  It was assumed that we would be living in such a way that the poor would be around.

We cannot argue that there are few poor in our neighbourhoods.  In an age where most Christians in North America commute some distance for weekly worship, there should then be no barrier to make the journey to the margins.  And if that is too much to ask, then perhaps we must learn to give up the comfort and safety of our neighbourhoods- and yes, I am thinking of the children- and choose to live in places where our lives can cross paths with those others.  We have no excuses other than our choices.  So why do we so explicitly choose to disobey such clear commands of Christ?

Tomorrow I fly to Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world.  I know that what I will see will be a prophetic rebuke to my own compromises.  I hope and pray that, in addition to seeing my responsibility to all people around the world, that I increasingly seek to be among the poor in own community.  I need them, perhaps more than they need me.

“The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in the wardrobe is the garment of the one who is naked; the shoes you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.” – St. Basil the Great

Previous Post – Book of James – Part 3

A couple of months ago, I posted my enthusiastic endorsement of Chris Heuertz & Christine Pohl’s new book “Friendship at the Margins: Discovering Mutuality in Service and Mission”.  As promised here is my interview with Chris about the book.  The interview, like the book, is very much worth you time to read and consider.  Enjoy!

Jamie Arpin-Ricci: In a time when “friend” has become a casual verb in social media, what does friendship mean to you?

Chris Heuertz: Friendship is far from an externalized abstraction or a digitalized, virtual connection.  For me, friendship is an honest, confessional, intimate place where people are free to be the best and worst of themselves. Friendship happens when we lower the walls that divide us from people, allowing ourselves and the other to live into a realized transparency and vulnerability. Not all friendships have to be deep, some can simply be playful. I think friendship is best expressed when incubated in the embrace of community, a collective of friends who are connected, committed and find common ground. Communities of friends are most authentic when they are open, hospitable, welcoming, accommodating and inclusive because at its core, true community is grounded and confident-not challenged by the so-called outsider. Communities that are accepting in their embrace allow friends to grieve and celebrate together by living in the liminal space of the ordinary.

JAR: Why was it important for you to co-write this book with Christine Pohl?

CH: More than important, it was necessary to write a book on friendship with Christine. For years I admired her work, but when we first made a personal connection her warmth closed the distance and created a safe space for us to learn together and from one another. I also think it would have been disingenuous to write a book on friendship with someone who I didn’t know. Finally, the book is part of Duke Divinity School’s Centre for Reconciliation’s small book series, Resources for Reconciliation. The first 3 titles in the series are amazing and the next couple look to be pretty fantastic too, but of those 5 books (all co-written by an activist/practitioner alongside a theological/academic) there are no women represented; for me, it was an issue of integrity that a series of books on reconciliation include, celebrate and promote the voices of women and men reflecting together.

JAR: With increased popularity in issues of justice, is there a risk of well-intentioned people mistreating those on the margins?  What do you want people to understand in this respect?

CH: I think one of the greatest laments of mission is a theological reductionism that over-identifies people as potential converts rather than affirms the divine imprint of God in all humanity-a divine imprint that necessitates love.  I think many evangelicals have perfected this form of theological reductionism, failing to love for the sake of love. We’ve turned people into a “target-audience,” mere consumers of our version of a Christian tradition. I think it’s an earnest and sincere mistake, but one that has contributed to the diminishment of all of us in community. Reflecting on the relationship between Jesus and Judas helps us unravel some of these tendencies, Jesus’ “success” with Judas wasn’t demonstrated in Judas’ response to Christ’s love, but was validated in the fidelity of love Christ had for Judas.

JAR: How would you respond those who might say, “All this is good for people like you, living in such unique circumstances.  What does mean for the average joe Christian?”?

CH: I think we can all do a better job reflecting on how we love, who we love and what “strings” to that love need to be removed. Regardless of context we’re all expected to live authentic lives that bear witness to hope and are compelled by love.

JAR: Tell me about writers/books that have formative for you on this topic.

CH: I don’t know that there are authors or books who have been formative for me re: these things, I think it’s my actual friendships with people who are poor or Hindu or Muslim or gay or lesbian or whoever the so-called “other” used to be in my social imagination. Their love for me, welcome and embrace of me and their friendships have really dismantled the donor-receptor roles in how I was raised to believe I am and have to be the catalyst for their conversion. In these kinds of friendships I’ve found myself converted in more ways than one and ultimately I’m the one following them to God’s heart.

JAR: Are you working on any new books?  Can you tell us about it?

CH: I am starting to carve out some time and space to begin working on a project, hopefully starting this fall, on “re-Membering Community.” A book that would name the members of community who have been excluded or left on the margins. It would redefine the margins not as a location, but an orientation and reflect on elements of community that grounds itself with theological commitments and values embodied and demonstrated in ecumenicism, gender equality, multiculturalism and solidarity with those who are poor.

JAR: Tell us something unusual/unique about yourself we might otherwise never know.

CH: Unusual? Hmmmmm… Well, actually most of my friends who are students of activism find one of my hobbies an anomaly. One of my life goals is to see ever every Division 1-A college football team play. I’ve seen 54 of the 120 at 28 different stadiums, that includes seeing every ACC team, and most of the PAC-10, SEC, Big East and Big XII. That’s all I got.

JAR: Thanks Chris.