Ending Malaria by 2015

I'm not a Bono junkie, but I like his music, and his heart even more. Here's an update on the UN General Assembly meeting that took place yesterday regarding some of the "millennium goals"...

Quote of the Week

"It's extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion dollars to saved 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases."

- Bono, rock star and anti-poverty activist (source: The American Prospect blog)

Instead of a Show

Several months ago, I came across Isaiah 1 and was shaken to the core because I saw myself as deserving to be mentioned with Israel. In a scathing rebuke of Israel, Yahweh has Isaiah address his people metaphorically as Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sin is the same - they ignored justice, failing to care for those who are marginalized (exemplified by the widow and the orphan) - and unless they repent their end will be the same as well. I'm posting it, along with a song by Jon Foreman (based on Isaiah 1) out of love. May it prompt us all to a greater sense of justice in our personal lives, and in our churches.

Isaiah 1:10-18 (NET)

“Listen to the LORD’s word,

you leaders of Sodom!

Pay attention to our God’s rebuke,

people of Gomorrah!

“Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?”

says the LORD.

“I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices

of rams and the fat from steers.

The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats

I do not want. When you enter my presence,

do you actually think I want this–

animals trampling on my courtyards?

Do not bring any more meaningless offerings;

I consider your incense detestable!

You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,

but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!

I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;

they are a burden

that I am tired of carrying.

When you spread out your hands in prayer,

I look the other way;

when you offer your many prayers,

I do not listen,

because your hands are covered with blood.   

Wash! Cleanse yourselves!

Remove your sinful deeds

from my sight.

Stop sinning!

Learn to do what is right!

Promote justice!

Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!

Take up the cause of the orphan!

Defend the rights of the widow!   

Come, let’s consider your options,” says the LORD.

“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,

you can become white like snow;

though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,

you can become white like wool.”

Frontman for Switchfoot, Jon Foreman, turned this passage into a piercing indictment on the church in America. It's called, Instead of a Show.

Check it out below:

Neighbor Packs and Loving Those in Need

As part of my internship, I've been asked to create something that we, as a church, can give to people who come in from off the streets, who are homeless or in extreme poverty, that can serve as real help to them. I used to think that $5 here in and there could serve to actually help. If the person is starving to death (literally), then it will, but the trouble is that four or five hours later, they will be hungry again. So here' what we've come up with: 

A gallon zip-lock bag containing:

• 250 calorie Clif Bar
• 8 oz bottle of water
• DART Day Pass Voucher (expiration begins when first used)
• Crucial info for nearby assistance (Central Dallas Ministries and The Bridge)
• DART routes to get to CDM and the Bridge from google.com/transit
• DART Bus Schedule
• Travel size of hand sanitizer
• English Bible or Spanish Gospel of John

They are really affordable. If you can get the Bibles for free, the packs only cost about $6 a piece. Very reasonable. 

Yesterday, one of our homeless neighbors worshipped with us. After the service I was able to sit down with him, listen to his story, and empathize with his loneliness. When I urged him to return next week, and that he didn't have to sit on the back row, he began to cry. The toll of solitude and isolation were obvious. He was glad to receive the help (one of our "Neighbor Packs"), and he said that he would visit the Food Panty and the other services at Central Dallas Ministries this Monday (today). 

After I prayed for him, I gave him a hug and I told him that I genuinely loved him (and I meant it). He teared up again. He said that when some people tell him that, he doesn't see it in their actions, but when he heard it from me, he believed it. Wow. 

I don't share this to put myself on display, but rather to share my experience at trying to love one my neighbors as I would want to be loved. The trouble is that, in reality, we weren't able to help him all that much. We're a small congregation with limited resources, but - by God's grace - we don't have limited love and empathy. 

By collaborating with other churches and organizations in the area, like CDM and The Bridge, we can work to end homelessness and poverty in Dallas. 

The Current State of the Economy

Below is part of an insightful post about the current situation of the economy from Jim Wallis over at the God's Politics blog...

Greed in the Economy: It’s the Morality, Sinner

by Jim Wallis 09-18-2008

Everyone has heard the famous phrase, attributed to James Carville, which supposedly won the presidential election of 1992 for Bill Clinton: “It’s the economy, stupid!” It’s still good advice, especially as the shocking collapse of the financial markets has turned the election campaign into a much more serious and somber discussion than lipstick on pigs.

But the issue is deeper than just the economy. I would now rephrase Carville and say, “It’s the morality, sinner!” And I would direct it to the people who have been making the decisions about the direction of this economy from Wall Street to Washington. Here is the morality play:...

Click here to read more at the God's Politics blog

Hungry in Dallas? Yes.

382, 161: The number of people who lived below the poverty line in Dallas Co. 

162, 379: The number of those who are children.

These numbers are from 2006, and they are still growing.

Texas leads the nation as having the highest percentage of food insecure families, but there's hope.

Ending Homelessness, One Neighbor at a Time

Wow. It has been a whirlwind two weeks! As you know, part of my internship is building our social ministry, that is, ministry that focuses on meeting genuine, physical needs of our neighbors in ways that are distinctly Christian in their scope and love. So....You'll never believe how God has gotten us started (though you should, since he is a God who provides!)!

Here's the short version: 

• On Tuesday, a family in the church meets a woman and her teenage son who are stranded at the grocery store and need a ride back "home" (read: hotel room). They had been staying there since the middle of August, along with her other son. 
  
• On Thursday, we are able to meet with them more extensively, and get to know them. 
  
• On Friday, God provides an apartment within their price range through Central Dallas Ministries. On Sunday, they worship with us at Skillman. 
  
• On Monday, their 31 day stint ends as we move them into their new home.
  

I can say with full assurance that our God is a God who deep cares for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, regardless of their socioeconomic status. He care enough that he provides for them through his people. It's indescribably cool to have been a part of that. 

May each of us keep asking God for opportunities to invest in the lives of our neighbors, wherever they may live. If we all work together, we can end homelessness, one neighbor at a time.

Charity:Water at the Abenea School

There are plenty of things I'd like to write about, but they'll have to wait. Charity: Water has just finished drilling the first of 333 wells in 333 villages that have no adequate supply of water. The first video shows the conditions at the Abenea school before the well. Disease was rampant because of lack of water, as well as water-borne bacterial diseases... and leeches that get lodged in people's throat from drinking the dirty water. The next video shows the completion of the well, including people from the Abenea school and the surrounding villages drinking clean water as it gushes up from beneath the earth. What an amazing gift: water. For more videos and more information on the Abenea School and the blessing that is known as Charity: Water, go to BORN IN SEPTEMBER.ORG.

This type of work is none other than part and parcel with what it means to love God and love others. Words cannot describe...

Before:

After 3 days of building:

"Country First"?

I watched the acceptance speeches for both Barack Obama, as well as John McCain. As I watched, there were many things I found myself encouraged by, but one of them was NOT the emphasis on patriotism over against all other allegiances. I would share my thoughts on the matter, but someone else has already done a better job than I could. Here's an excerpt from Jim Wallis's blog, God's Politics  (click here for the full version):

But one other thing bothered me last night, and it did also at the Democratic Convention. It was all those signs that read "Country First" and all those chants of "USA, USA, USA!!" The high-powered and, frankly, militaristic rhetoric kept telling us that "country" should be put above everything else -- including family and friendship. But what about faith? Should country be put ahead of faith, too? I kept wanting to yell back at the people yelling at me about putting the country first and say, "No, not me, I'm a Christian." Because we as Christians simply can't put our country first, ahead of God, ahead of Jesus Christ, ahead of the body of Christ (remember the worldwide body of Christ), and even family and friendship. Especially when our country is wrong, and when most of the rest of the body of Christ around the world thinks so.

"Country First" was the theme of John McCain's speech and night, and he asked us to "fight with him." Barack Obama also said in Denver that all Americans must put country first -- to counter the Republican exclusive claim on patriotism. Well, again, not all of us. I suppose people running for president have to say that, but Christian voters shouldn't go along with that. Can anybody imagine Jesus leading cheers shouting "USA!"?

The people of God already have a King, and his name isn't Obama or McCain. His name is Jesus Christ. He doesn't live in the White House, but he is currently sitting, ruling on the throne at the right hand of Yahweh. The change that either candidate may or may not bring is only temporary, but the peace, justice, and love that our King wishes to incarnate through his Church (that's us, American and otherwise... even Iraqis) is lasting, eternal, and true. 

Let's not forget that.

Born in September?

The astute Christian theologian (and rock-star) Bono once said, "Where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die." Here's another opportunity to do more than just nod your head in approval. It's called Charity: Water

The September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

Another video to stir you to action (listen carefully to the lyrics...It's a prophetic message to the church today from a poor person, who is hungry from more than just the four spiritual laws: "You speak of signs and wonders, but I need something other. I would believe if I was able, but I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table."):

If I were part of any denomination...

...why not be part of the one Jesus started: The Nazarenes!  

Rendition and the War on Terror

As Christians, whether we identify more with the Republican or Democratic approach to politics, the foremost question on our minds should be, "Is ___________ just? Is __________ right?" The end should never justify the means. Put bluntly, the United States government is directly responsible for the torture of numerous human beings, all of whom bear God's image. Some are guilty, others are innocent. What's worse is that all of this is done under the crusade to "rid the world of evil and terror." Seriously? If torture isn't evil, I'm not sure what is. I think we can all agree that the Jesus who refused to strike back would never have tortured a Roman citizen in order to get "information." If he wouldn't, how can we who claim to be his followers do anything other than follow his example? Below is a 27 minute documentary entitled, Outlawed. It's well worth your time.




(By the way, just because something is labeled "Social Ministry Journal" doesn't mean you can't comment.)