Is it true?

Did they leave the last half out of John 14:6 at Gerald Ford's funeral?

As many of you know, the verse reads "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and life, no one comes to the Father except by me.'" At the funeral the quote was ended at "life."

Peter Jensen, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney wrote a very interesting piece , referring to the event but casting it in the context of the individual believer's role in the life of the church's mission to a pluralistic society.

The event itself underscores something very important about American society that simply must be acknowledged - for the sake of the gospel. America is not a 'Christian country.' I have often had conversations with my American friends (since my first time here in '94) about this issue, both the historical reality, but more pressingly, the contemporary situation.

My experience is that many Americans who claim to be Christians, even many who attend church regularly, are not 'sold out to the gospel.' The Gerald Ford funeral is just another example of Christian-like social expression that devalues the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice and decries the urgency of evangelism.

I encourage you to read Peter Jensen's piece. For me, the most striking quote is this:
"If you are not prepared to be unpopular and culturally off-side, then don't get involved in the mission of the church."
This isn't a reference to feeling uncomfortable with the 'liberal media' or angry with the new Democratic Congress, it's about living lives that confront the individual decisions and choices that our unbelieving family, friends, colleagues and neighbors make every day. It's about a radical commitment to engaging our culture so we can truly act as salt and light.

How often do we think about (and act on) the mission of the church in our own backyard (not in some distant country)? Are you sold out to the gospel? Or would you sell out to the culture, even the Christian-like culture, like they did at Ford's funeral?

Exhausted but hopeful

Well friends, thanks for your patience! More than 50 days ago, I said I would blog more in 'a few days'. I am sorry for my loose use of the word 'few,' but I guess if I ever say I owe you 'a few dollars' you should get ready for a big pay off!

The title of this post is my outlook on 2007. The last quarter of 2006 was an absolute blur:
*3 weeks in Arizona dealing with the aftermath of Mel's Dad's accident
*A quick trip to Chicago
*Thanksgiving
*A few weeks of work
*Home to Australia for three weeks and my first Christmas there for five years

2007 has not brought much respite:
*Back to work to finish multiple big projects including a 250 page research report that I'm editing in its entirety and writing two chapters for
*A growing list of tasks as we try and support Mel's Dad and speed his recovery
*Off to Hawaii for a week of work (alright, I just say that to make you jealous)
*Finally home and trying to get back into blogging

So you get exhausted, why hopeful?

It's a word I use cautiously! While Melanie and I have enjoyed our time in Washington over the past few years, spiritually speaking the time has been quite challenging for me. The experience of searching out a new church was much more challenging than we thought. The amount I travel for work makes life much less structured than we humans tend to appreciate! Rhythm with quiet times, small group attendance, and even ministry involvement is an ongoing challenge.

So again, you ask, why hopeful?

It is very easy to forget the blessings of life and focus on the amount of trouble we have in front of us. My trouble may be much smaller than Mercy, our Compassion sponsor child who lost her father due to AIDS, but I tend to make my problems just as big (maybe bigger) than hers! Mel's Dad's accident demonstrated to me clearly that when James says "consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds," he wasn't saying "consider it joy when you're on a beach in Hawaii reflecting on trials from a long time ago" he was saying "in the thick of the pain and the hardship know that God is in control and is working". I am hopeful because God is breaking through to me with that truth.

I have an amazing wife. I'll try not to get too mushy, but it's true! God has blessed me with a wife who has a passion for Him, a heart for his people, and a desire to build a godly family with me. She is intelligent, very fun and funny, and is exceling at her work. How often I forget the grace God has rained on me through my wife, no matter what else is facing me. I am hopeful because of the woman God gave me as my wife.

I have a great family! Spending time with my parents, grandparents and extended family in Australia was a wonderful reminder of God's blessings in my life. God has drawn many in my extended family into relationship with him in my lifetime. What an amazing thing to see that transformation. I'm also conscious of the blessing of family because we get to spend a belated Christmas celebration with my sister this coming weekend! I am hopeful because of my wonderful family and all that God has done in and through them.

I have a wonderful church family. Ambassador Bible Church is the perfect example of how church should work - prizing God's word, diverse, missions focused, connected, welcoming...the list goes on. It's also a perfect example because it's imperfect! There is room for Melanie, me and all the other members to contribute, to glorify God through the work of the church and outreach to the community. I am hopeful because of the body of believers I am a part of.

I have brothers. I feel the blessing of my dear friends who have prayed for and supported me through a very difficult close of 2006. I have also been convicted to be more proactive in submitting to (placing myself under) the direction of more mature believers. I am hopeful because "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

I am getting back into habits of Bible reading and other spiritual disciplines. So critical, so overlooked, so easy to fall out of the habit. I am enjoying another James Emery White book (Wrestling with God, I believe it's published in the US as Embracing the Mysterious God). Mel and I are planning our annual Morris family retreat for next month - a wonderful time to reconnect with God, with each other, and seek God's vision for the next year. I'm hopeful because I am drawing near to God, so I trust he will draw near to me.

So, I'm exhausted but hopeful. I resolve this year to be some who:
*Considers it pure joy when I face trials of many kinds
*Draws near to God
*Swears to his own hurt and does not change

Expect more blogs (I am trying to challenge Mel for a weekly 500 word or less blog...)
Expect more hope
Pray for less exhaustion!

PS Cos I'm still a rookie at all this blogging, I posted photos from Australia and two from Hawaii on my Xanga site: http://www.xanga.com/sojourner211