solo

I have really enjoyed THE MESSAGE//REMIX: SOLO An Uncommon Devotional. I'm not usually a fan of daily devotionals, and I definitely don't have the discipline to sit with a 365 day devotional over time. However, this has a different aspect I love as a person struggling to pray and as a pastor wanting to lead others deeper into prayer.

The whole thing is based on a short reading from The Message paraphrase and then leads you through a form of Lectio Divina. It uses the basic structure of READ the Scripture, THINK and meditate on the main idea, PRAY through what God is saying to you, and the LIVE in a different way. Each devotional has specific questions, instructions, or leadings to help you engage the passage. For those wanting to learn how to read the Bible, those wanting to pray through the Bible, those wanting to learn how to hear God's voice, and those wanting a more holistic experience of their relationship with God this is a great buy!

Did I mention if you are a pastor, teacher, small group leader, etc. that its a great way to lead others into those things as well? We have been using the devotionals on "Prayer Cards" each week at Crossroads to help develop our church into a "house of prayer." I have been able to look up the subject of the teaching each week, or the passage that was taught on, and find a devotional that will help our congregation during the week. Even when I wasn't able to find something that fit right, it was a great guide to writing our own!

Bottom line: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The applications are endless. Students, pastors, adults, teachers, small group leaders... I was even thinking for parents wanting to start their own family devotionals this would be a great tool or model since it often has activities to do as you READ, THINK, PRAY, & LIVE. Check it out.

journal of spiritual formation & soul care

I was encouraged to receive the first issue of the Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care, there was a lot of wisdom, freedom, and Jesus to be found. For those who want thoughtful, biblical, and well formed discussion on what it means to walk with Jesus as a disciple, I highly recommend this. The first issue alone tackles some great misconceptions, helps clarify questions about the role of spiritual disciplines, and offers some good reviews of other books that may be helpful in our growth.

Personally, I found these quotes from John Coe's article on Resisting the Temptation of Moral Formation helpful this morning.

"no amount of effort in spiritual formation or the doing of the spiritual disciplines can grow (you) or fix (you)"

"the Christian life is not fundamentally about being moral in itself or about being a good Christian boy or girl"

"the Christian life and true spiritual formation denounce the moralistic life as a way to find happiness and please God"

I also really enjoyed Richard E. Averbeck's article on Spirit, Community, and Mission: A Biblical Theology for Spiritual Formation. A good look at the Holy Spirit's work in the individual, community, and the world.

middle earth rediscovered

After a hiatus from Tolkien, I was plunged back in by the recent release of The Children of Húrin. While I had never really dived into any works other than The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, this was a pleasant surprise.

This story is edited by Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R.'s literary executor, from the long poems and notes written by his father. The story is from the First Age (if you are a LOTR geek, you know that Bilbo and the rest are at the end of the Third Age). This is one of three main stories which Tolkien felt shaped the mythology behind The Lord of the Rings. It is a tragic tale, but is well written, and reflects the attention to detail Tolkien gave to the "back stories" of his epics. A worthy read for those that enjoyed The Hobbit and made it through The Lord of the Rings.

Reading this new release has opened the door to the rest of Tolkien's fantasy. Some great stories written for his children (Roverandom and Letters from Father Christmas) which make you envy being in his family. They are beautifully written and made me feel like a kid again.

I hope that some of you may find some joy in revisiting some of Tolkien's lesser known work (you probably will want to stay away from The History of Middle-Earth, unless you are a geek like me).

If not, you should at least enjoy this music video by The Flight of the Conchords:

banker to the poor

Okay, okay. So I read a lot of books, and I say that a lot of books are really good. I am going to have to temper future statements about most books so that when I come to one like this people will realize that whether they are a book person or not they need to pick it up.

Banker to the Poor is a must read. Muhammad Yunus was the first Nobel Peace Prize winning economist and it all stems from his concept of micro-lending which has lifted nearly 2 million Bengali people out of poverty. His concept has spread to over 100 countries and is really changing the world.

Most of you have already checked out, but if you haven't you are in for a surprise. Yunus is a great author! In the midst of his economic perspective he weaves a beautiful story of life and hope. I was whisked off into the third world by the powerful images invoked by Yunus' words. If you have never been to a third world country, Yunus captures not only the visuals and smell, but the heart tweaking reality of poverty.

Yunus admits that his economic idea was simply a way to cope with his personal guilt for those that were literally dying on his doorstep. He never intended for the idea to spread beyond his personal work with the poor and the hearts of his students. Instead it caught on like wild fire and became an integral part of the national bank in Bangladesh.

Take some time to visit a Borders or Barnes & Noble and read the Introduction (you can also read an excerpt of the first chapter online). Let Yunus' words grab you, transport you, and inspire you to be a part of ending poverty.

the dna of belief

Many people can not understand the human propensity for faith. They struggle to explain it in biological, philosophical, and cultural terms. I stumbled across this interesting article from the NY Times, Darwin's God. The fundamental question being asked in the article is: "In short, are we hard-wired to believe in God? And if we are, how and why did that happen?"

I appreciate the tone of the article, specifically because it shows what they call "neo-atheists" for what they are. And instead of trying to convert people to the faith of atheistic science it opens up the question whether or not we are hard-wired to believe because of God or some kind of neurological or evolutionary accident.

a rock and a hard place

This entry on Kit's blog is worth everyone's consideration. (the quote attributed to me comes off the back of Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis)

grace wins

Jon Sontag turned me on to this interview from Christianity Today with Bono:

Assayas: I think I am beginning to understand religion because I have started acting and thinking like a father. What do you make of that?

Bono: Yes, I think that's normal. It's a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma.

Assayas: I haven't heard you talk about that.

Bono: I really believe we've moved out of the realm of Karma into one of Grace.

Assayas: Well, that doesn't make it clearer for me.

Bono: You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics--in physical laws--every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It's clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that "as you reap, so you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff.

Assayas: I'd be interested to hear that.

Bono: That's between me and God. But I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I'd be in deep shit. It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity.

It was challenging to consider whether "Karma" is in fact a truth of the universe. Bono makes some good support for that idea. The difficulty with embracing Karma for me is whether or not you believe Karma is an answer to the world's problems. If we, as humans, make enough "good" action will the world respond with an equally "good" reaction. I think that there are some basic concepts one can embrace, but if you have a Biblical worldview then Original Sin becomes a real problem for Karma being the answer. Those who are "good" from the outside must ultimately consider their "inside," just as Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day to do. And the real question then is, "Does my 'bad' inside deserve an equal and opposite reaction of 'bad' if on the outside I am 'good'?"

Someone self aware enough, like Bono, is able to recognize that no amount of "good," spiritual, or religious effort is going to be able to overcome the true state of mankind and have a saving reaction. With the attitude "I can't do it on my own," we become open to Grace. Grace imparts to us what we cannot do on our own. It begins to reshape us in the form of ultimate Grace. The Bible argues that Jesus, as God and man, is that ultimate Grace. We then become students of Jesus in how he lived and moved outside of "Karma" and into life at its most complete.

The things I have heard Bono say about life and God have always driven me to be a better student of Jesus and the Bible. Here Bono says, "I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity." I too want to choose to hold on to Jesus for life now and life to come.