My friend, Robert Nordstrom, from OM called me to inform me about this movie showing that they are hosting at Moody Church in the city. My church has the opportunity to do a showing out here in the Western Suburbs. The topic is one that I have been afraid of for far too long - the plight of refugees fleeing North Korea. With all of the exposure I've had in recent years to plight of refugees around the world (particularly Africa and SE Asia), I've been afraid of how the situation in North Korea would affect me. It's hard enough to bear with the stories of these refugees from around the world let alone other Koreans.
Still, I can't avoid the topic anymore. It appears that the work of ministry has led me in this direction, and I need to be open to what God wants to show me through this movie. It's not a documentary although it tries as realistically as possible to describe the harrowing situation north of the border. You can watch a trailer here.
I hope if you're in the area, you'll come out and watch this movie. It will be either July 21 or 23. Stay tuned for more info.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Crazy Idea - Pay what you can restaurant?!
This is a fascinating idea. How does the church get in on this? Come on, saints, we need to figure out a compelling, culturally creative opportunity like this...especially if it turns out to be financially sustainable.
Helping without Hurting
Here's part II of my summary of reflection and learnings from the Haiti5 World Relief Conference I attended two weeks ago. Part I is here.
Brian Fikkert made a presentation from his book on the topic of how to help the poor without hurting the poor. I have the book on my to-read list, so take these thoughts critically as I still need to work out his ideas in detail through his book. I thought his presentation was a good introduction however, and I'm intrigued to get to it soon.
Fikkert began by asking the question, "What is poverty?" Take a moment to formulate an answer to the question before you read below.
------------------------------------------
Citing the responses of various interviews of those in poverty-stricken situations (conducted by the Chalmers center and the World Bank separately), he noted that most responses had nothing to do with material shortages, but rather shame, inferiority, and loss of dignity. Interestingly, most Americans, when polled, defined poverty strictly in material terms. The point is this: How you define the cause and problem of poverty will directly affect how you attempt to solve it. Thus, if poverty is strictly a material condition, then our attempts to help will be strictly material.
Fikkert went on to describe the theological and relational problem of poverty. He summarized poverty as fundamentally relational. A breakdown of relationship with God, with one's self, with creation, and with others. To be fully human is experience the fullness of all of these relationships, yet poverty is the cyclical breakdown of all these spheres. I say cyclical in the sense that a breakdown in one sphere affects a breakdown in the other which causes a further breakdown in the prior. This breakdown of relationships affects all aspects of our world both individual and societal systems causing these systems to not only be unhelpful, but downright oppressive.
The solution then is about reconciling relationships in all four of these means. This is nothing less than a blending of the theological and the sociological. A lot of my conversations with those who are serious about ministering to the poor have revolved around this tension. How do you minister in the name of Jesus to real, physical, and societal needs without losing the explicit message of the Gospel? Fikkert, without using this terminology, called for a renewed theology of new creation whereby God is remaking all things, reconciling ALL relationships through Jesus. That's fine, but how does it get practical? This is where I resonated most with Fikkert's call to the church.
In radically redefining poverty, Fikkert radically redefined what it is to be poor. If poverty is described primarily in a breakdown of relationships, then as a middle class North American, I am poor in areas that those who are materially defined as "poor" are rich. I am poor in the sense that I have a God-complex which puts me at enmity with God, hostility with others, tyranny with creation, and fantasy with myself.
A proper response then to alleviating poverty and helping "the poor" begins with repentance of my own pride and acknowledgment that I am poor. This includes repenting of my own "prosperity Gospel" whereby I believe that my material blessing equates to spiritual blessing. (This is a point where I need to reflect further because it does seem that in the covenantal curses and blessings of Deuteronomy 28-31 that material blessing does come alongside spiritual blessing.) I must repent of my pride and my God-complexes, and renounce the assumption that just because I have more stuff, therefore I have more to give to the one in material poverty than he/she has to give to me.
At the conclusion of this, I suppose that the way to really help without hurting is a genuine humility that acknowledges my own brokenness and need for help. I find myself coming to a place where I am beginning to truly believe that the materially poor (and other ethnicities for that matter) have something to teach me about who God is and what He desires of me.
So thinking about your definition of poverty, what needs to change?
Brian Fikkert made a presentation from his book on the topic of how to help the poor without hurting the poor. I have the book on my to-read list, so take these thoughts critically as I still need to work out his ideas in detail through his book. I thought his presentation was a good introduction however, and I'm intrigued to get to it soon.
Fikkert began by asking the question, "What is poverty?" Take a moment to formulate an answer to the question before you read below.
------------------------------------------
Citing the responses of various interviews of those in poverty-stricken situations (conducted by the Chalmers center and the World Bank separately), he noted that most responses had nothing to do with material shortages, but rather shame, inferiority, and loss of dignity. Interestingly, most Americans, when polled, defined poverty strictly in material terms. The point is this: How you define the cause and problem of poverty will directly affect how you attempt to solve it. Thus, if poverty is strictly a material condition, then our attempts to help will be strictly material.
Fikkert went on to describe the theological and relational problem of poverty. He summarized poverty as fundamentally relational. A breakdown of relationship with God, with one's self, with creation, and with others. To be fully human is experience the fullness of all of these relationships, yet poverty is the cyclical breakdown of all these spheres. I say cyclical in the sense that a breakdown in one sphere affects a breakdown in the other which causes a further breakdown in the prior. This breakdown of relationships affects all aspects of our world both individual and societal systems causing these systems to not only be unhelpful, but downright oppressive.
The solution then is about reconciling relationships in all four of these means. This is nothing less than a blending of the theological and the sociological. A lot of my conversations with those who are serious about ministering to the poor have revolved around this tension. How do you minister in the name of Jesus to real, physical, and societal needs without losing the explicit message of the Gospel? Fikkert, without using this terminology, called for a renewed theology of new creation whereby God is remaking all things, reconciling ALL relationships through Jesus. That's fine, but how does it get practical? This is where I resonated most with Fikkert's call to the church.
In radically redefining poverty, Fikkert radically redefined what it is to be poor. If poverty is described primarily in a breakdown of relationships, then as a middle class North American, I am poor in areas that those who are materially defined as "poor" are rich. I am poor in the sense that I have a God-complex which puts me at enmity with God, hostility with others, tyranny with creation, and fantasy with myself.
A proper response then to alleviating poverty and helping "the poor" begins with repentance of my own pride and acknowledgment that I am poor. This includes repenting of my own "prosperity Gospel" whereby I believe that my material blessing equates to spiritual blessing. (This is a point where I need to reflect further because it does seem that in the covenantal curses and blessings of Deuteronomy 28-31 that material blessing does come alongside spiritual blessing.) I must repent of my pride and my God-complexes, and renounce the assumption that just because I have more stuff, therefore I have more to give to the one in material poverty than he/she has to give to me.
At the conclusion of this, I suppose that the way to really help without hurting is a genuine humility that acknowledges my own brokenness and need for help. I find myself coming to a place where I am beginning to truly believe that the materially poor (and other ethnicities for that matter) have something to teach me about who God is and what He desires of me.
So thinking about your definition of poverty, what needs to change?
Pray for Haiti
Our Student Ministry is currently on a trip to Haiti with YWAM. You can pray for them and follow updates here.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Reflections on FCA Golf Camp 2010
So after a week of talking about golf and the Gospel (not necessarily trying to relate the two), I think an attempt to link the two is warranted. So here's my first run at how golf reminds me of the Gospel. I'll give it in the form of short golf tips as if I was instructing you on the game of golf.
1. "The harder you swing, the less likely you are to hit it pure." The Gospel confronts our innate tendency to save ourselves. It seems that at every turn, I want to defend myself or rationalize my standing before God. I can fool myself into thinking that my failures are simply because I didn't try hard enough or wasn't vigilant. I excuse my lack of holiness by simply recommitting my life to do better or try harder. The Gospel says NO. The Gospel says that my standing before God is secured by what Jesus has done, and the Gospel calls me to surrender more, to be dependent more, and that in weakness is the way to "hit it pure".
2. "You've got to set yourself up to make a good swing." A good golf swing requires a good grip, good stance, and good posture. These set you up for a good swing (although it doesn't guarantee it). Likewise, the Gospel sets us up to make a good swing. It doesn't let us off the hook by saying that our outward actions don't matter. In fact, the Gospel sets us up to be in a place of true authenticity by securing our identity and giving us courage to step out boldly in faith. The Gospel releases us to pursue genuine character - the kind of character that represents someone who is now living in the kingdom. By faith in Jesus and repentance, God promises us the Holy Spirit to empower us and to motivate to live holy lives. The Spirit is essential to a fruitful life.
3. "This game is so much more enjoyable with playing partners." I can't think of many people who enjoy playing golf by themselves. I've done it on occasion for practice, and I don't find nearly the same joy in it. Needless to say, the Christian life was meant to be lived out and experienced in community - a community that the Gospel creates and energizes as diverse people come to experience a communal grace.
4. "You've to play to your own par." We can spend so much time comparing ourselves to others that we lose the gratitude and contentment for how far God has brought us.
5. "Repetition. Repetition. Repetition." The way to groove a good swing is to practice, practice, practice. Hand positions, transition, takeaway, stance, etc. In the same way, I have been reflecting on how the Gospel gives us power through His Spirit to form our character (see N.T. Wright's book, After You Believe). Wright defines character as the power of right habits - that is, learning to live a life that anticipates the coming kingdom kind of life now. It's about training ourselves through the power of the Spirit and the grace of God a thousand times so that on the thousand and first time, we choose holiness as a matter of second nature. I'm sure I'll be writing more about this in the near future.
Well, I'll end these reflections there. Obviously, there's so many more ways to apply the Gospel. It's just amazing to me how there are echoes of this true myth everywhere if only we'll stop to observe and reflect.
1. "The harder you swing, the less likely you are to hit it pure." The Gospel confronts our innate tendency to save ourselves. It seems that at every turn, I want to defend myself or rationalize my standing before God. I can fool myself into thinking that my failures are simply because I didn't try hard enough or wasn't vigilant. I excuse my lack of holiness by simply recommitting my life to do better or try harder. The Gospel says NO. The Gospel says that my standing before God is secured by what Jesus has done, and the Gospel calls me to surrender more, to be dependent more, and that in weakness is the way to "hit it pure".
2. "You've got to set yourself up to make a good swing." A good golf swing requires a good grip, good stance, and good posture. These set you up for a good swing (although it doesn't guarantee it). Likewise, the Gospel sets us up to make a good swing. It doesn't let us off the hook by saying that our outward actions don't matter. In fact, the Gospel sets us up to be in a place of true authenticity by securing our identity and giving us courage to step out boldly in faith. The Gospel releases us to pursue genuine character - the kind of character that represents someone who is now living in the kingdom. By faith in Jesus and repentance, God promises us the Holy Spirit to empower us and to motivate to live holy lives. The Spirit is essential to a fruitful life.
3. "This game is so much more enjoyable with playing partners." I can't think of many people who enjoy playing golf by themselves. I've done it on occasion for practice, and I don't find nearly the same joy in it. Needless to say, the Christian life was meant to be lived out and experienced in community - a community that the Gospel creates and energizes as diverse people come to experience a communal grace.
4. "You've to play to your own par." We can spend so much time comparing ourselves to others that we lose the gratitude and contentment for how far God has brought us.
5. "Repetition. Repetition. Repetition." The way to groove a good swing is to practice, practice, practice. Hand positions, transition, takeaway, stance, etc. In the same way, I have been reflecting on how the Gospel gives us power through His Spirit to form our character (see N.T. Wright's book, After You Believe). Wright defines character as the power of right habits - that is, learning to live a life that anticipates the coming kingdom kind of life now. It's about training ourselves through the power of the Spirit and the grace of God a thousand times so that on the thousand and first time, we choose holiness as a matter of second nature. I'm sure I'll be writing more about this in the near future.
Well, I'll end these reflections there. Obviously, there's so many more ways to apply the Gospel. It's just amazing to me how there are echoes of this true myth everywhere if only we'll stop to observe and reflect.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Another week of speaking
Well, I'm off on the second of three speaking engagements this summer. FCA golf camp in Franklin, IN from Sat - Thurs, then off to Houston from Thurs to Sat to represent Compassion International at a Servant Leadership camp. I'd appreciate your prayers for this week. Both for me as I speak, and for my dear wife who will be holding down the fort while I'm gone. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of strength, courage, and patience she demonstrates as she gladly sends me on these opportunities for ministry.
At the same time, I am reminded of my own weakness and my desperate need for grace as I speak about a Jesus that I myself am struggling to pursue. I'll be talking about character and virtue at the first venue and compassion and leadership at the second. Please join me in prayer asking God to soften hearts and for boldness and passion as I speak. I'll update in a few days from Franklin.
At the same time, I am reminded of my own weakness and my desperate need for grace as I speak about a Jesus that I myself am struggling to pursue. I'll be talking about character and virtue at the first venue and compassion and leadership at the second. Please join me in prayer asking God to soften hearts and for boldness and passion as I speak. I'll update in a few days from Franklin.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Serving with Eyes Wide Open
This past Tuesday, I had the joy of being at a gathering of church leaders convened by World Relief to talk about Haiti and an appropriate response from the church. Aside from the sharing of those who are on the ground in Haiti, the highlights were hearing David Livermore (author of "Serving with Eyes Wide Open") and Brian Fikkert (author of "Helping without Hurting" and a former UMD prof).
Here's a summary of some of what they shared. I'll do Livermore's today and Fikkert's tomorrow. I found it deeply insightful.
Livermore: 5 Guiding Principles for Formulating a Response to the Situation in Haiti
1. Center of Christianity - following the research of Phillip Jenkins, Livermore noted that the center of Christianity is no longer in N. America and the West. There are vibrant Christian communities in places that need our help. If we attempt to do missions thinking we are the orthopraxical norm, we will embarrass ourselves and cause more trouble than aid.
2. Motivation - often, short term missions are billed as an adventure or fun, or some sort of self-fulfillment motive drives our efforts. We need to rethink the role of suffering in our missiology.
3. Urgency - Americans carry with us a "can-do" spirit of ingenuity and urgency. We want to do something, and we want to do something now. Often, that sort of Promethean spirit trumps long-term sustainability for local indigenous churches. We must remember that most often the people we serve know what they need better than we do. We need to take the time to listen and learn before going in and "fixing" things.
4. Money - who really is poor? Because we define poverty primarily as materialistic deprivation (something Fikkert addressed), we think of the solution as material. We come back from missions trips saying, "I realized how blessed I am..." Such a condescending attitude reinforces a superiority complex and an imperialistic attitude when it comes to serve. Do we look for wealth in the cultures we are going to serve? Do we enter into the mission field recognizing that we ourselves are poor in very different, but significant ways?
5. Bible - this has to do with contextualization. Do we think that as an educated Westerner we have the monopoly on how a text should be interpreted? How can theology be globalized? How can we learn from the biblical interpretation of other cultures?
One more thing: Livermore presented a compelling motivation for why short-term missions are important. He suggested that what people do on a short-term trip is not nearly as impactful as what they will do when they return home, and that they need to go on a short-term trip in order to gain a vision for what they need to do at home. Thus, the debriefing of a mission trip is hugely important because it connects our experience over there to our lives here. This could be through advocacy, mobilization, or launching into other cross-cultural missions opportunities right here on our doorstep.
My takeaway is further conviction that every Christian should go on an international short-term trip at some point in their lives. The reasons for this are that we will see how the North American church needs the global church (as well as how the global church needs the North American), we will get a taste for what God is doing in the world, and we will begin to embrace a global vision of the Church at large.
Here's a summary of some of what they shared. I'll do Livermore's today and Fikkert's tomorrow. I found it deeply insightful.
Livermore: 5 Guiding Principles for Formulating a Response to the Situation in Haiti
1. Center of Christianity - following the research of Phillip Jenkins, Livermore noted that the center of Christianity is no longer in N. America and the West. There are vibrant Christian communities in places that need our help. If we attempt to do missions thinking we are the orthopraxical norm, we will embarrass ourselves and cause more trouble than aid.
2. Motivation - often, short term missions are billed as an adventure or fun, or some sort of self-fulfillment motive drives our efforts. We need to rethink the role of suffering in our missiology.
3. Urgency - Americans carry with us a "can-do" spirit of ingenuity and urgency. We want to do something, and we want to do something now. Often, that sort of Promethean spirit trumps long-term sustainability for local indigenous churches. We must remember that most often the people we serve know what they need better than we do. We need to take the time to listen and learn before going in and "fixing" things.
4. Money - who really is poor? Because we define poverty primarily as materialistic deprivation (something Fikkert addressed), we think of the solution as material. We come back from missions trips saying, "I realized how blessed I am..." Such a condescending attitude reinforces a superiority complex and an imperialistic attitude when it comes to serve. Do we look for wealth in the cultures we are going to serve? Do we enter into the mission field recognizing that we ourselves are poor in very different, but significant ways?
5. Bible - this has to do with contextualization. Do we think that as an educated Westerner we have the monopoly on how a text should be interpreted? How can theology be globalized? How can we learn from the biblical interpretation of other cultures?
One more thing: Livermore presented a compelling motivation for why short-term missions are important. He suggested that what people do on a short-term trip is not nearly as impactful as what they will do when they return home, and that they need to go on a short-term trip in order to gain a vision for what they need to do at home. Thus, the debriefing of a mission trip is hugely important because it connects our experience over there to our lives here. This could be through advocacy, mobilization, or launching into other cross-cultural missions opportunities right here on our doorstep.
My takeaway is further conviction that every Christian should go on an international short-term trip at some point in their lives. The reasons for this are that we will see how the North American church needs the global church (as well as how the global church needs the North American), we will get a taste for what God is doing in the world, and we will begin to embrace a global vision of the Church at large.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Hmmm...I wonder where all the money went
Recession, really? As the hallowed June 15 date to pre-order your IPhone 4 has passed, it has left its wake of cyber confusion, computer breakdowns, and disgruntled consumers. It seems that no matter how bad the oil spill is, no matter how crooked Wall Street may be, nor how many bailouts we may need to be a part of, one thing will remain true - we as Americans will always find a way to spend, shop, and get what we want, when we want it.
This article is a stern warning to me to fight gadget-lust among other things. It seems there's always something newer, something better, and it seems like Apple's always connected to it in some way. I wonder if Paul's words could apply here “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything."Paul is talking about the new life that the Spirit gives, and I believe it's a relevant word for me today. If my appetite and my cravings grow out of control, it means that whatever I am craving is mastering me - be it Apple, IPhone, power, sex, approval, whatever. I look at the culture in disgust that as we are facing unprecedented debt, global poverty, and a huge disparity between the wealthy and the marginalized, people so badly want a $200 phone that networks, computers, even cyberspace itself comes crashing down. The worst part is that I am just as part of the problem, so I really look at myself in disgust as well.
Lord, give me deeper affections for you. Grant me a greater passion for things that moth, rust, technological obsoleteness, and chronological snobbery can't touch. Be my Master, only you. For your kingdom's sake, amen.
This article is a stern warning to me to fight gadget-lust among other things. It seems there's always something newer, something better, and it seems like Apple's always connected to it in some way. I wonder if Paul's words could apply here “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything."Paul is talking about the new life that the Spirit gives, and I believe it's a relevant word for me today. If my appetite and my cravings grow out of control, it means that whatever I am craving is mastering me - be it Apple, IPhone, power, sex, approval, whatever. I look at the culture in disgust that as we are facing unprecedented debt, global poverty, and a huge disparity between the wealthy and the marginalized, people so badly want a $200 phone that networks, computers, even cyberspace itself comes crashing down. The worst part is that I am just as part of the problem, so I really look at myself in disgust as well.
Lord, give me deeper affections for you. Grant me a greater passion for things that moth, rust, technological obsoleteness, and chronological snobbery can't touch. Be my Master, only you. For your kingdom's sake, amen.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Human Trafficking Report Card
I just read an evaluation of the 2010 U.S. Trafficking Report that was released today. It underscores how big of a problem human trafficking really is. Amidst all of my excitement over the World Cup, I am deeply saddened to think about the human trafficking trade that will reap huge monetary benefits from the crowds of fans gathering in South Africa. Even ESPN has a report about this. In a sidebar, they even have a definition of human trafficking.
Human trafficking usually begins with a false promise of an opportunity.**
Through coercion or deception, and sometimes force, traffickers lure people into exploitative situations. A person does not have to cross a border into another country to be trafficked. In fact, in South Africa, internal trafficking is as much a problem as, if not more than, external trafficking. According to the U.S. State Department's most recent (2009) Trafficking in Persons report, "The government of South Africa does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so."
Will you join me in taking a moment to grieve, pray, and mourn for the least of these who are oppressed and taken advantage in this way? Will you get angry and feel the heart of God for these voiceless slaves? A phrase that has struck with me from my Hebrew classes is "ad-matay Adonai?" (that's just my own loose transliteration). It means, "How long, O Lord?" I think about atrocities like this, and then I think about the innocence of my own sons. I would be beside myself (homocidally) if it were my own kids, how much more is God angered that his image bearers, especially the children, are oppressed in this way? As I think about this, the doctrine of God's justice actually brings comfort and hope, not in a condemning way, but in a vindicating way. The brothels may be hidden from our sight, but they are not from God's. Kids may be moved invisibly across borders, but God sees and He will not let it go unaddressed. This makes me cry all the more, "ad-Matay Adonai"!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Why the World Cup reminds me of Heaven (and no, it's not just the international flavor)!
It seems that every four years, I have this inner turmoil that is brought on by the greatest sporting event in the world. Growing up as the son of immigrant parents, I experience what most _______________-Americans (insert ethnicity of your choice) feel at international sports competitions be it the Olympics or the World Cup. Who do you root for? I've had friends ask me this hesitantly trying to be as sensitive as possible. They don't want to make me feel un-American, yet they don't want to just ignore my ethnic heritage. In fact, I think most _________-Americans feel this confusion, yet few will admit to it.
The tension is that in every way I am American except for the fact that my parents and thus my ethnic heritage are Korean. So as much as Korea is sometimes a mystery to me, I still feel this attachment to my traditions and my roots, and sometimes I feel as though my roots are what really distinguishes my journey from other Americans. So I root for South Korea. In addition, there is a communal spirit that being American misses. Maybe it's because of the 'melting pot' nature of what it means to be an American vs. the homogeneity of being Korean, but there's something so natural and life-giving being with other Koreans as you cheer (in distinctly Korean ways complete with timed rhythmic hand claps), dress in red, and celebrate together. Imagine a rowdy gathering for the Blackhawks as they won the Stanley Cup, but on a larger scale like a nation or a people group. That's the connectedness and pride you feel when rooting for Korea whether or not other Koreans are in the room.
At the same time, I'm here in the U.S. It's my life, and it's my home. It's more of a home to me than Korea will ever be (even having lived in Korea for just over a year), and so I cheer for the U.S. Perhaps there's also a 'rooting for the underdog' allure that I like, but for whatever it's worth. I cheer for the U.S. whether or not other Americans are in the room.
The tension comes when Korea plays the U.S! The last time that happened (that I can vividly remember) was in 2002 when the U.S. played Korea to a 1-1 draw. You can only imagine the turmoil I felt during that game. Let's just say it was the most exhausting game I've ever watched - rooting for both teams.
This tension that I feel reminds me of my true citizenship. Paul speaks about it in Phil 3:20 - "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior." All of this tension reminds me of the tension I ought to feel here on the earth. In reality, though I am a citizen of the U.S., I am a citizen of a heavenly kingdom, a kingdom that is moving forward and outward reclaiming land under its rightful king, inaugurated by its rightful Lord, Jesus.
It plays out like this: though I live in the U.S., I still have a tug for the Motherland. Though I live on the earth, I still have a share in the kingdom. I live on the earth, and in a certain existential measure, it IS home. So I work and take part in this world, rooting for its renewal and remaking all the while cheering and rooting for my deeper attachments. Every World Cup, I am reminded of this tension that while I live here, my attachment, my roots, are in another place, and I long for that place. I can't wait for the day when the two become fully one with no more tension, no more confusion, no exhaustion!
Until then, I'll keep wearing my Copa America U.S. Jersey, and my South Korea jersey...just not at the same time.
The tension is that in every way I am American except for the fact that my parents and thus my ethnic heritage are Korean. So as much as Korea is sometimes a mystery to me, I still feel this attachment to my traditions and my roots, and sometimes I feel as though my roots are what really distinguishes my journey from other Americans. So I root for South Korea. In addition, there is a communal spirit that being American misses. Maybe it's because of the 'melting pot' nature of what it means to be an American vs. the homogeneity of being Korean, but there's something so natural and life-giving being with other Koreans as you cheer (in distinctly Korean ways complete with timed rhythmic hand claps), dress in red, and celebrate together. Imagine a rowdy gathering for the Blackhawks as they won the Stanley Cup, but on a larger scale like a nation or a people group. That's the connectedness and pride you feel when rooting for Korea whether or not other Koreans are in the room.
At the same time, I'm here in the U.S. It's my life, and it's my home. It's more of a home to me than Korea will ever be (even having lived in Korea for just over a year), and so I cheer for the U.S. Perhaps there's also a 'rooting for the underdog' allure that I like, but for whatever it's worth. I cheer for the U.S. whether or not other Americans are in the room.
The tension comes when Korea plays the U.S! The last time that happened (that I can vividly remember) was in 2002 when the U.S. played Korea to a 1-1 draw. You can only imagine the turmoil I felt during that game. Let's just say it was the most exhausting game I've ever watched - rooting for both teams.
This tension that I feel reminds me of my true citizenship. Paul speaks about it in Phil 3:20 - "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior." All of this tension reminds me of the tension I ought to feel here on the earth. In reality, though I am a citizen of the U.S., I am a citizen of a heavenly kingdom, a kingdom that is moving forward and outward reclaiming land under its rightful king, inaugurated by its rightful Lord, Jesus.
It plays out like this: though I live in the U.S., I still have a tug for the Motherland. Though I live on the earth, I still have a share in the kingdom. I live on the earth, and in a certain existential measure, it IS home. So I work and take part in this world, rooting for its renewal and remaking all the while cheering and rooting for my deeper attachments. Every World Cup, I am reminded of this tension that while I live here, my attachment, my roots, are in another place, and I long for that place. I can't wait for the day when the two become fully one with no more tension, no more confusion, no exhaustion!
Until then, I'll keep wearing my Copa America U.S. Jersey, and my South Korea jersey...just not at the same time.
Friday, June 11, 2010
The question of character formation before heaven
"Character - the transforming, shaping, and marking of a life and its habits - will generate the sort of behavior that rules might have pointed toward but which a "rule-keeping" mentality can never achieve. And it will produce the sort of life which will in fact be true to itself - though the "self" to which it will at last be true is the redeemed self, the transformed self, not the merely "discovered" self of popular thought...In the last analysis, what matters after you believe is neither rules nor spontaneous self-discovery, but character." - N.T. Wright, After You Believe
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Happiness and Profitability
An interesting article in Inc magazine by Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos.com, a shoe/clothing online retailer - Why I Sold Zappos. I appreciated this article because it reflects the tale of a man who navigated a complicated situation and still held onto his convictions. Tony believed that his business should be run a certain way - by creating a culture of community and partnership even before profitability. I wonder if this is what churches need - leaders and cultural architects whose foremost priority is to create a Gospel-shaped, grace-driven culture of community even before the 'profitability' of souls saved and projects accomplished?
This is not to say that churches ought not to be missional, but Tony's story gives me hope that if a billion dollar company can do this (and partner with another), then maybe churches can to. Wouldn't that be a picture of the Gospel worth joining?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Viloma
Just read a powerful blog entry about the incredible pain and grief experienced when a parent loses a child. The point is made that such grief is "against a natural order". It reminds of Plantinga's essay on how sin reminds us that things aren't the way they're supposed to be. As I read about this - I was moved thinking about how painful it would be to lose either of my sons. It then hit me that God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.
The truth of the matter is that death itself is against a natural order, and that the death of the Son of God was one of the most unexpected events of human history (second only to his resurrection!) This post reminds me to hold onto the hope that the "natural order" will be restored one day (and is being so now). So hold on until then..."though weeping may remain for the night, his joy comes with the morning."
The truth of the matter is that death itself is against a natural order, and that the death of the Son of God was one of the most unexpected events of human history (second only to his resurrection!) This post reminds me to hold onto the hope that the "natural order" will be restored one day (and is being so now). So hold on until then..."though weeping may remain for the night, his joy comes with the morning."
The Precious
Last night after a time of prayer with some college students, one of the students remarked to me that she sensed God's Spirit over me - that God was wanting to do something very powerful through me this summer. She was awestruck as she spoke these words to me, and it was a much needed word of encouragement.
As I think about those words, my thoughts lead me to a crisis of belief. With all of the sin that I have been battling as of late (and feeling like I've been losing), I struggled to believe her at that moment. Is God really delighted in me? Is he really please to use me? Is my constant failure getting in the way?
Earlier in the day, I was rehashing with a friend some past incidents that happened in which some hurtful rumors were spread about me back home in MD. I remember first hearing about these rumors a month ago, and I remember feeling several things. I was hurt, but not in the way that you (or I) would have thought. I was hurt that a place so dear to me would turn on me in that way, but I was not hurt because of the damage such a rumor would do to my name. Instead, I found myself quietly agreeing that even if such a thing weren't true, it could very well be possible. I found myself looking into the deep-seated pride and arrogance that had settled in my heart...and I came to the cross. I preached to myself the Gospel that says my identity and reputation are in Christ and Him alone, not the quality of my work, fruit of my ministry, or otherwise. Thus, as I believed that, I didn't need to defend myself, justify myself, or otherwise. I just needed to thank my Savior that He defines me, not my reputation (good or bad).
This relates to my experience with this college student because I can I was fighting to believe the words that she had spoken to me. God is delighted in me (because of Christ). He really is pleased to use me (because of Christ's work). My constant failure is not getting in the way (because Christ was punished for my failure once and for all). It's funny that as much preaching of the Gospel as I get to do, I must fight to believe it just as much as the people who I get to call to faith.
Thank you, Lord, for the truly glorious Gospel!
As I think about those words, my thoughts lead me to a crisis of belief. With all of the sin that I have been battling as of late (and feeling like I've been losing), I struggled to believe her at that moment. Is God really delighted in me? Is he really please to use me? Is my constant failure getting in the way?
Earlier in the day, I was rehashing with a friend some past incidents that happened in which some hurtful rumors were spread about me back home in MD. I remember first hearing about these rumors a month ago, and I remember feeling several things. I was hurt, but not in the way that you (or I) would have thought. I was hurt that a place so dear to me would turn on me in that way, but I was not hurt because of the damage such a rumor would do to my name. Instead, I found myself quietly agreeing that even if such a thing weren't true, it could very well be possible. I found myself looking into the deep-seated pride and arrogance that had settled in my heart...and I came to the cross. I preached to myself the Gospel that says my identity and reputation are in Christ and Him alone, not the quality of my work, fruit of my ministry, or otherwise. Thus, as I believed that, I didn't need to defend myself, justify myself, or otherwise. I just needed to thank my Savior that He defines me, not my reputation (good or bad).
This relates to my experience with this college student because I can I was fighting to believe the words that she had spoken to me. God is delighted in me (because of Christ). He really is pleased to use me (because of Christ's work). My constant failure is not getting in the way (because Christ was punished for my failure once and for all). It's funny that as much preaching of the Gospel as I get to do, I must fight to believe it just as much as the people who I get to call to faith.
Thank you, Lord, for the truly glorious Gospel!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Forgiveness as a Supernatural Event
Donald Miller has an excellent post about the recent perfect game pitched by Armondo Galarraga. I thought it was worth re-posting because it perfectly captures my thoughts on this event. I especially agree with the idea that forgiveness is other-worldly and counter-cultural, but I would take it one step further. Most people can forgive those who wrong them and are sorry. It takes a supernatural act of infused grace to forgive someone even when they are unwilling to own up to it. This recent episode is just a foretaste of how powerfully forgiveness can affect us.
Lord of the Ring?
Well, we arrived safely home from a speaking trip last week in CO. It was a wonderfully refreshing time being in the mountains, seeing Sarah and Calvin ride a horse, and getting some fly-fishing in. My speaking went better than I had hoped in the sense that I was really struggling with presenting the story of the disciples in the Gospel of Mark without compromising the fact that Jesus is the main character! The premise of my talks was that the Gospel of Mark demonstrates the journey of the disciples as they struggled and fought to believe who Jesus is. Their development through the gospel follows the pattern of most mythological heroes. I narrowed it down to four parts: Call, Trials/Mentor, Failure, Return. It was a personally enriching exercise for me exegetically, and I can only pray that it bears fruit.
On another note, the most significant moment was on the way home. I lost my wedding ring!!! I don't know if I left it in my cabin or on the lake, but all I know is that it's gone. The funny thing was that I wasn't as upset as I expected I would be after losing an expensive ring. Actually, the entire episode made me really reflect on what it means to be married to Sarah. Although I've said it in many a wedding ceremony that I've officiated, I really had the opportunity to think about what the ring means and more importantly, what the marriage means. I am covenanted to my wife with or without a ring, but the ring shows the world WHOSE I am.
This thought made me examine myself - to look at the ways in which I am committed to Sarah and ways in which I am not. The ring means nothing if I don't give myself to her 100%. I repented as I thought about the ways in which I took for granted that the ring would keep my marriage strong and vibrant. Losing it exposed the ways in which I had grown lazy about my relationship with her. In many ways, I could apply this same lesson to my walk with Christ. It is way to easy to use a symbol like my vocation, my baptism, my pedigree, education, family, etc. as an anchor for discipleship. No, Jesus wants all of ME, not just my tokens and symbols. There's so many extrapolating questions from this, but the fact remains simple - just as my relationship with my wife is a covenant of loving her as Christ loved the church, so my relationship with Christ is a covenant of loving him as his bride in waiting. Funny how one forgetful moment can lead to such introspective repentance!
On another note, the most significant moment was on the way home. I lost my wedding ring!!! I don't know if I left it in my cabin or on the lake, but all I know is that it's gone. The funny thing was that I wasn't as upset as I expected I would be after losing an expensive ring. Actually, the entire episode made me really reflect on what it means to be married to Sarah. Although I've said it in many a wedding ceremony that I've officiated, I really had the opportunity to think about what the ring means and more importantly, what the marriage means. I am covenanted to my wife with or without a ring, but the ring shows the world WHOSE I am.
This thought made me examine myself - to look at the ways in which I am committed to Sarah and ways in which I am not. The ring means nothing if I don't give myself to her 100%. I repented as I thought about the ways in which I took for granted that the ring would keep my marriage strong and vibrant. Losing it exposed the ways in which I had grown lazy about my relationship with her. In many ways, I could apply this same lesson to my walk with Christ. It is way to easy to use a symbol like my vocation, my baptism, my pedigree, education, family, etc. as an anchor for discipleship. No, Jesus wants all of ME, not just my tokens and symbols. There's so many extrapolating questions from this, but the fact remains simple - just as my relationship with my wife is a covenant of loving her as Christ loved the church, so my relationship with Christ is a covenant of loving him as his bride in waiting. Funny how one forgetful moment can lead to such introspective repentance!
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