Catching My Breath

The Big Move

2005-05-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

This blog has moved:

http://www.michealfelker.com

Thanks

Nice Policin' Boys!

2005-03-28T05:40:00.000-08:00

Last night's 8pm episode of The Simpsons, proved once again why I believe it is the smartest comedy on television. Originally airing last month, "Pranksta Rap" was a deftly written satire of how we look the other way instead tackeling hard issues and calling the truth truth. The episode guide describes this episode as,

Bart sneaks out of the house to attend a forbidden rap concert. When Marge and Homer discover he is missing, Bart fakes his own kidnapping to prevent being grounded. It is up to Springfield’s finest to save him. Of course, no one has any faith in bumbling police Chief Clancy Wiggum. Inspired by an apparition of Barney Fife, Wiggum vows to rescue Bart. Meanwhile, Bart is hiding out in Kirk Van Houten’s bachelor pad unbeknownst to Kirk. Wiggum cracks the case, Bart is rescued, and Kirk wrongfully goes to jail. Wiggum is promoted to Police Commissioner and Kirk becomes a lady’s man among the felon-loving singles of Springfield. Lisa searches for the truth and discovers that the kidnapping was all a hoax and everyone goes back as it was before.

Seems harmless enough. What the guide doesn't tell you is that everyone except Lisa is fine with the lie. When Bart, Homer, Wiggum, and Kirk are caught in their lies they... throw a party! Everything is ok. No lesson learned, no sappy music. Just Homer cannonballing into the pool.

In my humble opinion, the writers were criticizing the nations aparent indifference to the "truth" about the Iraq war. Although, I do not believe that we were lied to about the belief that Saddam had WMDs, I do believe that, in order to keep the status quo, no one has been held accountable for mistakes. I understand completely that I am an armchair commander at this point. I am thankful that we do live in a country where our leaders, for the most part, do look out for us. I just have a hollow feeling about the aftermath here in America. I pray that those in Iraq will come to love freedom. The elections were an amazing step forward. I know that wonderful things have happened but, does the end truly justify the means? Who knows, maybe I'm looking into the episode tooooooooo much.

I appreciate the writers of the Simpsons for tackeling the issue of truth and justice in such a great manner. It wasn't scathing but it was powerful. It caused me to think. Imagine that!

Times Up!

2005-03-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

Well. it is 5:00pm on Easter Sunday and the clock is ticking away the last few precious hours I have for Spring Break. All in all, it was relaxing break. I did have a few bouts with my insonia but I used the extra hours to read instead of just tossing and turning. I spent a great deal of time studying the book of Galatians. As I chew on my thoughts, I'll post them here. Suffice to say, Galatians is good stuff. I think Paul's words were the cause of my sleepless nights. Another cause of my sleeplessness are some changes and thoughts that have been swirling around me. Please pray for me as I am seeking to better understand God's heart. (More to come)

Right now, I am in my office getting things ready for the coming week. It is rainy and I'm rockin' a little DMB. Good times, good times. On Friday, I am taking the Fellowship of Christian Students on a weekend retreat. We are going to be looking at the gifts that God gives us. It should be great.

On the Horizon:
The new Brian McLaren book, The Last Word and the Word after That : A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity, releases this Tuesday. It is the final chapter in the New Kind of Christian trilogy. I have been anticipating the book for a while now. Amazon don't fail me now!

I'm anxious to see if U2 posts their live shows on iTunes. We shall see as the Vertigo Tour kicks off this week on the west coast.

7 weeks til the summer

Have a great week everyone!
Peace,
Micheal

Jesus Called. He Wants His Students Back

2005-03-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

My friend, Brian Brophy, just had his second article published on Youth Specialties' website. This aricle fully captures what it feels like to be in full-time student ministry. Brian has a heart for students and it shows. Great Job Bro!

Jesus Called. He Wants His Students Back

Hello, Hello!

2005-03-15T06:36:00.000-08:00

"I got a ticket to Vertigo!"

On Saturday, my wife lovingly purchased a ticket for me to see U2 on Saturday October 29, 2005 @ 7:30 pm (CST) in Dallas, TX. I saw the boys in Dallas during the Elevation tour in 2001. They played Reunion Arena last time. The city has built the American Airlines Center since then and I am excited about seeing the concert in that venue.

In other U2 news: Congrats to Bono, the Edge, Larry, and Adam on being inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame last night. I saw a few clips on the news this morning. While giving the induction speech, Bruce Springsteen poked some fun at the mullet (The mullet was in rare form at Live Aid. Go out and get the concert for a gander). The full induction ceremony premieres on VH1 this Saturday.

Bringing the Issue Home

2005-03-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

Both Jordon Cooper and Urban Onramps posted this video that startled me to my core. Landmines are no joking matter but unfortunately landmines are not seen as a problem by many westerners because we see them as mearly a thrid world problem. Shame on us. Watch the Video and then check out Stop Landmines.org. Do something that matters.

Urban Onramps
jordoncooper.com

Will We Share?

2005-03-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

In mant towns in India, Daltis are not allowed to draw water from a well. They must go to the well to beg for a higher caste person to share, and often no one does. Hinduism tells them they are worthless, with no hope for change, and the caste system only reinforces these lies. So, when they hear the truth about God- that He loves them. He made them in His image, and that Jesus came to die so they could be with him- they are overcome. In John 4, Jesus breaks social taboos and drinks after the samaritian womanbat the well and then he offers her the living water, "A well of water springing up into everlasting life." At first, this may seem like a call for social justice and as followers of Christ we are commanded to look after the poor and weak, but in the end, it is a call to evangelism. We are bearers of the well that will never run dry.. Will we share the well?

This is taken from the liner notes of Share the Well the latest album from Caedmon's Call. Lately, I have felt a little dry. A little crusty. It takes a reminder like this to realize that in the midst of the desert I have access to the healing spring, Jesus Christ. Today's post is dedicated to those who feel like they can no longer press on; To those youth ministers and teachers who rarely (if ever) witness the fruits of their labor. Keep Sharing!!!

It Still Has Soul

2005-03-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

As I have stated before: I am in love with my iPod. A few months ago, I pontificated my idea that my iPod "Knows" me. I (half jokingly) stated that my iPod can sense what is going on and plays the prefect song at just the right time. Well, yet again I was wrong. The folks over at Ask iPodLounge posted the following in their latest weekly Q&A. Enjoy.

"Q: I'm a 5th grader doing a science fair project: Is the iPod's shuffle mode truly random? Can you tell me if the iPod's shuffle feature uses random or pseudo-random number selection? Do you believe your iPod gets to 'know' what people like or dislike? - Paul

A: The iPod's shuffle mode works as follows: when you start playing music in this mode, the iPod shuffles all your tracks (much like a deck of cards) and creates an internal list for your library (or for a selected playlist, genre, artist, etc.). It then plays the songs in this order until it reaches the end of the list.

The next time you turn on shuffle mode, the iPod does the same thing. If you listen to 20 songs one day, then listen to another 20 songs the next day, it is possible that one or more of the first 20 songs will come up in the second set of 20. Random playback means that each time you start playing the iPod in shuffle mode the songs are mixed up; therefore, each song has an equal probability of coming first in the list, second, third, and so on.

There is a difference between this shuffle mode and true random playback, however. The shuffle mode creates a list of songs and plays them in that order; random playback would give each song an equal probability of coming up next, which would lead to some songs coming up several times in continuous play.

As long as you keep your iPod playing in shuffle mode (without syncing it, playing other albums or playlists, or doing something that stops the shuffle play), you'll hear every song on your iPod once, and only once, until it gets to the end of the list.

And, no, your iPod probably doesn't get to know what you like, unless you use the rating feature or an iTunes Smart Playlist based on your most frequently played songs."

Oh well, I guy can still pretend can't he?
Link

Church Marketing Sucks

2005-03-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, a ministry buddy and I were talking about the "next" ministry position churches will begin to hire. We were discussing media ministry and he said to me, "Mark my words, the next ministry position will be a person with a design degree whose job it is to advertise." Billboards, interactive web sites, outreach events, magazine ads, these types of things. We laughed because, right now, we do such a poor job of relaying our info to the masses. Our first contact, for better or worse, is often in some sort of print or media outlet. Those who are in charge of these ventures do not fully understand how important these forms of communication are to those who we are trying to reach. Apparently, others share in our frustrations. I stumbled across Church Marketing Sucks today. According to their site, "This isn't simply about putting butts in pews or selling glossy postcards. It's about helping the church be the Church, and seeing lives changed as a result. If helping the church communicate better allows one person to finally glimpse the Gospel, then our work has been worthwhile." Give it a good look around.

Church Marketing Sucks
Via

3rd Time's the Charm

2005-03-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

The 3rd leg of the "Vertigo" Tour were annouced today. Below is the listing from @U2.

U2 has announced the dates and cities it will play when the Vertigo Tour returns to North America this fall for its 3rd leg. The 3rd leg will begin in Toronto in mid-September and continue almost until Christmas with a final show in Portland.

September 12: Toronto, Air Canada Centre
September 14: Toronto, Air Canada Centre
September 20: Chicago, United Center
September 21: Chicago, United Center
September 23: Minneapolis, Target Center
September 25: Milwaukee, Bradley Center

October 3: Boston, Fleet Center
October 4: Boston, Fleet Center
October 7: New York, Madison Square Garden
October 8: New York, Madison Square Garden
October 10: New York, Madison Square Garden
October 16: Philadelphia, Wachovia Center
October 17: Philadelphia, Wachovia Center
October 19: Washington, DC, MCI Center
October 20: Washington, DC, MCI Center
October 22: Pittsburgh, Mellon Arena
October 24: Detroit, Palace of Auburn Hills
October 28: Houston, Toyota Center
October 29: Dallas, American Airlines Arena

November 1: Los Angeles, Staples Center
November 2: Los Angeles, Staples Center
November 13: Miami, American Airlines Arena
November 16: Tampa, St. Pete Times Forum
November 18: Atlanta, Philips Arena
November 25: Ottawa, Corel Centre
November 26: Montreal, Bell Centre

December 7: Hartford, Civic Center
December 9: Buffalo, HSBC Arena
December 10: Cleveland, Gund Arena
December 14: St. Louis, Savvis Center
December 15: Omaha, Qwest Center
December 17: Salt Lake City, Delta Center
December 19: Portland, Rose Garden

I am so stoked. It looks like Oct 29 and Nov 18 will be my widows of opportunity. More to come.

Fresh "Breath"

2005-03-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon everyone! I felt the need to refurbish the site. I know it isn't a big change but I needed some new colors! I also updated the sidebar.

Blood::Water Mission

"1000 Wells Project"

Erwin Raphael McManus

Uprising

Ecclesia

That's about it for now. Have a great weekend.
Peace, Micheal

Behind Every Great Man...

2005-03-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

There Is An Even Greater Woman.

@U2 posted this great article about Bono's family. It is rare for people in the world spotlight to remain grounded but the Hewson's seem pretty awesome. I smile very big when I picture Bono dropping the kids off at school in his pajamas and the radio blaring. Great article!

Link
Via @U2

Way To Go, Corporate FatCats!

2005-02-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

I guess that the record industry likes to punish those who steal music and those of us who are resposible downloaders.

News reports have been circulating today that the music industry is pushing to increase the pricing of online music stores such as iTunes.

But just as music lovers are being coaxed into using legitimate download services, price jumps could prod them back to piracy, industry analysts said.

"I think whoever came up with this idea understands the online music industry about as well as a cow understands algebra," said Phil Leigh, senior analyst for Inside Digital Media.

"If the labels really want to fight piracy, it defies logic to increase prices and create more of a disincentive for the consumer to use legitimate providers. If they want to encourage the public to use legitimate online pricing, raising prices is about the last thing they should think of doing."

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. I have a difficult time already trying to convince my students that they should be sensitive to the choices that they are making when it come to responsible downloading. Now the fatcat record execs want to squeeze a little more blood out of the turnip. iTunes= Relevant. Corporate FatCats=Irrelevant

Link
Vis

I Like My Church Shaken and Stirred

2005-02-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

I love my church and I love my brotherhood but I have grown increasingly frustrated with the way that we "do" church instead of "being" disciples. For about three years I have been listening to the conversations started by authors and writers such as Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Leonard Sweet, Sally Morgenthaler, Relevant Media, Kendra Creasy Dean, Dan Kimball and others in the "Emergent Church" movement as they have been slowly calling the church to re-imagine its calling: To move from a group of professional "church-people" to a radically different group of pilgrims inviting others to be a part of God's wondrous plan in order that they may begin inviting others so that we can begin to embody Jesus Christ in faith and hope and love and life. Books such as "Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel", "Generous Orthodoxy" and "A New Kind of Christian" by McLaren, "Emerging Church" by Kimball and "Blue Like Jazz" by Don Miller have been percolating in my heart for the past few years and are now beginning to overflow the strict confines in which I find myself. I am tired of these little "church" rules that we have created. We are not driven by grace, We are driven by fear. Not a fear of God but of each other. "Oh, well so and so might leave if we take this step!" "Sister congregation will write about us in the bulletin!" I am sick of playing the game. Jesus did not play games. Jesus called us to a "radical lifestyle reorientation."

Over the last 6 months I have been encouraged by some in our brotherhood who have shared these same beliefs with me and the world through conversations and blogs. For three years, I have felt alone in my feelings. This was posted on Mike Cope's blog this morning and I wanted to share it here. I feel better knowing that there are others who are not satisfied with the way things are. We are not finished "restoring" God's vision for his body. Do not let anyone tell you that we have accomplish that task long ago. We have allowed good to be the enemy of great. Let us press on together. The links are below.

The State of the Church Address

The Church in North America is on life support.

This is a fact which few of the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals," recognized by Time Magazine last month, know, preach or write, and something many leaders in Churches of Christ have not accepted.

The United States is now one of the three most secular countries in the world.

Wait a minute, you say: What about the 2004 election, which highlighted voters advocating traditional, Christian values? And with Christianity blitzing the media, movie theaters, and malls, Christianity just has to be flourishing in the West, right?

Not so fast.

We're living in what's being called the "Post-Christian Era." Christianity in North America has been on a steady decline for the better part of a century, with the most staggering drops occurring in the past 25 years. Christian statistician and church consultant George Barna reported that over the past decade, three million people have been leaving churches every year in the United States.

Closer to home, half of Abilene's (Texas) 120,000 residents do not attend one of the roughly 150 churches in town.

You wouldn't read these stats in Time or hear them on American Family Radio, however.

Christian media organizations talk like the only work to be done on our soil has to do with Constitutional amendments, and Time seems convinced that evangelical Christians are running the country. These are just the kinds of lies the Enemy would have us believe, though.

The actual center of Christianity in the world today is highly debated, but experts agree it lies in one of three places: Latin America, Africa or China. Some have estimated that China, which had only 700,000 Christians at the beginning of the Communist rule in 1949, now has between 60 and 100 million believers, most of them meeting together in large, underground house church networks. Africa now boasts nearly 400 million Christians, but that number is expected to eclipse 600 million by 2025.

This kind of rapid, exponential growth simply is not happening in the United States, which now has the third-largest un-churched population in the world. The rumors are true, by the way: Missionaries from African and Latin American countries are now moving to our continent to work among the lost North Americans.

The question of how we got to this point isn't nearly as important as how we will get past it. The message and commission Christians have simply is too important to ignore this glaring problem. Many have ignored it, however, to the detriment of their hearts and the faith.

One solution to the problem will need to come in the form of a paradigm shift-a change in methodology or theory-regarding the nature and role of the church. The technical definition of the word "insanity" is repeating the same action and expecting a different result each time. This definition often describes Christ's church to a T. Churches will need to take a hard look at the Great Commission-"Go and make disciples"-and then formulate strategies to best accomplish this commandment.

Here's a clue, though: It's probably not going to look anything like what most churches have been trying in recent decades. "Attractional" Christianity, which attempts to bring in the un-churched with dynamic worship, flashy programs or the best preacher in town, has been the strategy of choice for churches for much too long, and research is indicating that the post-modern unbeliever isn't falling for it anymore.

If churches take the Great Commission seriously, though, one word ought to stick out: Go. Christ went when he became the incarnation of the living God on earth. The apostles went upon receiving the Holy Spirit, first to their hometown, then to the world. And our responsibility is the same in our neighborhoods and cities in the United States.

The second phrase that should stick out in a fresh reading of the Great Commission is "make disciples." Baptism certainly is what happens at the initial decision to be a disciple, but it doesn't magically spawn a disciple. True discipleship literally means "spending time with Jesus" and requires relationship, accountability and lots of latitude. "In-process" disciples make lots of mistakes, but that's OK-that's why Christ came. Mature Christians must see that Paul's vision for growing Christians in his young church plants-sanctification-is carried out in contemporary congregations. Sanctified Christians no longer run back to their old muck and mire but strain forward, pursuing righteousness and nurturing new disciples of their own.

The Western Church does itself and the Kingdom no good in denying that it has a problem. It is hemorrhaging because it has emphasized the phrases "baptizing them" and "all nations" to the detriment of the three most important words in the Great Commission, "go" and "make disciples." If North America is to see an in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, and if Christians desire to delight their Creator, the Church will need to wake from its slumber and dive headlong into God's mission.
All North American disciples of Jesus are missionaries, after all-now more than ever before.

Steve Holt
Mike Cope

File Under: Signs of the Apocalypse

2005-02-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

I read this news report this morning about a group of Texans who are pushing for the state to become a Republic once again. When the article quoted some of the leaders about the move it sounds rationale. When the article gives some of the group's history it sounds like this:

Led by self proclaimed "Ambassador" Richard McLaren, several people claiming to represent the Republic of Texas Organization took two hostages in remote Fort Davis. The resulting standoff left two Republic of Texas sympathizers dead and McLaren and several followers are serving lengthy prison terms for their roles in the incident.

What! As a Texan, I am not ready to follow these guys into battle much less to their capital in Overton (where ever that is). Way to go crazy rednecks!

Link

Hiatus

2005-02-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the short hiatus. I haven't been feeling well this week and so I have been resting. Just trying to take care of myself.

This weekend, I am participating in the one thing that all youth ministers spew vitriol at: the dreaded lock-in. We are participating in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine. The fast will begin this evening and finnish at midnight Saturday morning. The handful of students that are particpating are stoked. I'm excited too. Keep us in your prayers. For many of these students, this will be the first time that they have fasted. They need your prayers.

I have updated a few things on the blog this morning.

UrbanOnramps.com

Disney War

God's Politics

Sojourners

Constantine

Best Movies

review

Relevant

Keep looking for new features and links in the coming week. I hope you have a great day. Peace.

Today Was a Good Day

2005-02-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

Happy President's Day! It has been a great afternoon.

I finished Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell. Excellent book. Thought provoking and applicable.

I have been able to prepare for our 30hr Famine.

I slept in.

I cleaned my office.

As you can see, I have had a great day. My wife has gone to get her hair cut and I am off to the bookstore.

Peace.

Fair Warning

2005-02-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

In a month or so, I will be 25. For ten years, I have been a licensed driver. My first car was a 1985 Ford Mustang and my second is the Chevy pickup that I am currently using to ferry me to and fro.

I love music. The only thing I love more than music is loud music. My favorite place to listen to music loudly is in my truck. My parents have warned me. I ignored them. My wife has asked me to turn down my radio. She got about as far as they did. Many people have taken upon themselves to help me curb my decibal fixation. I didn't listen to any of them until today.

There I was, rocking away to Eddie Vedder and the boys from Pearl Jam when I heard a car horn. I looked to my left and there were two smiling police officers giving me the internalational "You need to turn it down now" signal. I promptly turned the music down and hung my head in embarrassment.

So, for all of you (especially my wife) who have failed miserably to change my music behavior, for about an hour I seriously contemplated changing the way I listen to music in my car. For about an hour.

Have a good weekend. Peace.

No Condiments

2005-02-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

A big wave of nostalgia washed over me this afternoon as I was eating my lunch surfing my daily blogs. Yesterday, Greg Kendall-Ball posted about an annual Harding tradition that I loved to partake of.

Each spring, some guys who were kind enough to befriend me would invite me over to their backyard and then later to the park so that I could help Kick-Off the Grilling Season (KOGS) or Wrap-Up the Grilling Season (WUGS). These guys were great. They made the BEST burgers. I know that I was just one of hundreds of people who enjoyed their tradition but every time I make a burger their "No Condiment" philosophy guides my every patty.

Thanks Guys!

Kendallball.net
journey plot: OSEA

Revolutionary Love (Neo-Mechanical Mix)

2005-02-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

Good morning! I got out of bed this morning with only minutes to spare. As I was brushing my teeth, I logged onto iTunes and purchased the newest David Crowder Band EP. The EP is titled Sunsets & Sushi (Experiments In Spectral Deconstruction). What a great title! As I am writing this I am listening to a wonderful remix of Revolutinary Love. I am also rocking the remix of Deliver Me. DCB is one of the best worship bands around. If you have iTunes you can click the link below for the album.

iTunes
Amazon

This Group Needs Tyler Durden

2005-02-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

My favorite quote has to be...
"We closed the doors, but some people got stuck in them"

Chaos at IKEA Opening

The Bigger Moment

2005-02-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night, one of my ministry goals was fulfilled. When I began this campus ministry two years ago, I had an idea to create quarterly seminars to strengthen families which I called "Family First." During these seminars we would invite an "expert" to speak or work with families for the evening discussing topics such as alcohol abuse, teen culture, teen sexuality, etc. Tuesday, we had a member of the Vice and Narcotics squad come and educate our families on substance abuse. Although we only had 1% of our HS student body attend, we did have about 40 parents attend. We also had one of the local youth ministers attend. The evening went well and everyone who attended thanked the officer for his wonderful presentation. People mingled around discussing how we could involve more families in help create a healthy environment. All in all, it was a great success. I felt good. I created a worthwhile program that impacted a number of people. I felt accomplished.

Last night, the youth minister at the church I attend got sick. He asked me to teach his wed night HS class. I agreed, no problem. I love discussion classes but this group of students is often tight lipped. So, I gave them a hand-out with questions and allowed them time to process what the class was going to be about. While they were answering questions, a young girl asked if she could speak with me after class. "Sure," I said. After class, we talked for a few minutes about her struggles and doubts. We prayed together and I shared a few of my own doubts and fears. As she left, she thanked me.

As she walked away, I couldn't help but wonder which was the bigger moment: the "Family First" seminar or praying with one student? Of course, I already knew the answer.

Ministry isn't about the masses. It is that moment where God uses you in spite of yourself. It isn't in front of everyone, it is the "after class" moments. That is ministry, the other often comes across as self-promotion.

Family First

2005-02-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I have been given an opportunity to broaden my ministry here. I firmly believe that if I only impact these students then I've only impacted a small fraction of our community. Tonight, the administration has given me the green light to hold the first "Family First" seminar. These seminars are geared toward bringing families together to discuss sensitive issues such as faith, alcohol abuse, and teen sexuality. Tonight's inaugural seminar will tackle "Substance abuse." We have decided to clarify our drug policy and felt that this meeting with parents, students, and community leaders was a natural extension of what we are trying accomplish. Instead of creating an atmosphere of fear and hiding, we, as an admistration, have communicated to our families that we want to help them get their kids clean. If a student or their family comes to us, we will do whatever is neccessary to help them get healthy without booting them from school. This evening, a member of the city's Vice and Narcotics Unit will speak to these familes giveing them the neccesary resourses to help combat these forces of evil at home. Please be praying for our families here. This is an important night for our school.

Below I have posted a copy of what I am planning to say this evening. Thank you for your prayers.

Good Evening!

In his book, The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell argues that everything from fashion trends to best-selling books to even group behavior follow the same path of growth that viruses do. Social behaviors can turn into epidemics very, very quickly.

First, there is a point where everyone is contagious. Everyone is vulnerable to this new trend.

Socondly, Gladwell points out that places where an epidemic breaks out, small changes somehow have big effects. He calls this geometric progression where essentially something doubles and then doubles again. Same effect as the old saying, “You tell 2 people and then they’ll tell 2 people…”

Then, Gladwell believes, there comes “the tipping point.” It is the point in which an epidemic reaches critical mass. When the scales have been tipped and there is no controlling the epidemic.

What I love about Gladwell’s book is that he takes these negative words like Virus and Epidemic and he redeems them. We tend to see these words and react in revulsion. We imagine things like the plague or the AIDS pandemic and we feel defeated.

Gladwell show us the opposite is possible. He shows organizations and businesses how they can POSITIVLY infect their people for radical change.

That is what we have the chance to do this evening.

Your children are vulnerable and contagious. They see what is going on in the world around them, they see what their friends and doing and they see how some of their friend’s parents turn a blind eye to their destructive behaviors. They are soaking it all in.

How can we infect them with a sense of what is right?

Like Gladwell points out: It begins with small changes that create big effects.

Hiring a campus minister was a small step. Clarifying our drug policy so that you can get help from the school is a small step. This “Family First” seminar is a small step. Coming tonight was a small step for you. Partnering together regardless of color, church background, or any other reason is a small step to victory.

This is just a sample of what I will try and communicate this evening. Thanks for your time.

"Blink" In the News

2005-02-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last week, I began reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell is a great storyteller and his writing style really makes his ideas explode off the page. While perusing Jordon Cooper's blog this morning, I came across a link to an ESPN.com article by Jeff Merron interviewing Gladwell about Blink and how it could relate to football and, more specifically, the Super Bowl. The very first question must leave a bad taste in the Eagles mouths this morning.

Jeff Merton: Early on in "Blink," you ask, "When should we trust our instincts, and when should we be wary of them?" That's a great question, and seems at the heart of what happens on the football field. You've got intense, detailed preparation leading up to the game, and lots of fast analysis between plays (by the coaches and players), and then the "instinctive" moves that happen once the ball is snapped. Let's say the Eagles call you up and ask you to spend a day with the team explaining the lessons of "Blink," and how they could be used in the Super Bowl. Would you take them up on the offer? If so, what would you say? Who would you spend the most time with? What would you want to talk about first?

Gladwell: I'd settle for an hour with Andy Reid. (Gladwell reiterates a story from Blink where a General, portraying Hussein during a war game leading up to the latest Iraqi war, defeats the team playing the US by speeding up his attacks, catching them off guard.) That's why I've always been so surprised that more NFL teams don't use the no-huddle. It's not just that it forces your opponent to keep a specific defense on the field. It's that it shifts the game cognitively: it forces coaches and defensive captains to think and react entirely in the instinctive "blink" mode -- and when teams aren't prepared for that kind of fast-paced thinking crazy things happen. Andy Reid has to know that Belichick has an edge when he can calmly and deliberately plot his next move. But does he still have an advantage when he and his players have to make decisions on the spur of the moment? I'd tell Andy Reid to go no-huddle at random, unpredictable points during the game -- to throw Belichick out of his comfort zone.

In my best "Debbie Downer:" Wha, whaaaaaa. Ouch. The Eagles wasted a full minute near the final seconds because they were lazily walking to and from the huddle. The Eagles were anything but unpredictable. Would the outcome of last night's game have changed if McNabb had gone no-huddle? The world may never know. The Eagles sure don't deserve to know after the apparent lack of hustle in those last hopefull seconds. Congrats Pats!

The rest of the article can be found here. Enjoy.

Paradigm Shifting Read

2005-01-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

Be Aware! This post contains some graphic information. It is not here to offend anyone but I will not shy away from presenting facts that are too often ignored in our churches and in our lives. People are suffering. Please, do not look away.

Every so often, I find myself feeling listless and bored. I get up, brush my teeth, go to work, go to church, eat, and go to bed. For weeks, I can continue this pattern with little to know thought about the outside world. The only thing that matters is Micheal's wants, and needs; fears and dreams; hopes and failure. Then I get blindside by Truth. God's holiness and power grabs me by the throat, roughs me up, and dares me to care about something other than myself. A few weeks ago, I received Terrify No More by Gary Haugen and Gregg Hunter. Haugen is the founder and president of International Justice Mission, "a non-profit human rights organization that investigates and intervenes on behalf of victims of oppression." The book chronicles IJM's undercover operations in Svay Pak, Cambodia to free young girls from sex traffickers. These men and women of God do some extraordinary things. Not only do they bust up brothels that "rent" out innocent girls for rape, not only do they work with foreign governments to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, not only do they provide aftercare for these girls who have seem the worst from humanity (mostly Westerners) but IJM cares enough about these girls to make sure that no operation is complete until all these qualifications are met. What I loved about this book is that the authors made these injustices real. You and I know that people are in slavery today. We know that to be true. We know that genocide continues to happen today. We know that innocent people are brutalized everyday because of the color of their skin or the place they were born. We know these things to be true. But in my cozy, little living room it isn't very real. It is too messy to be real to us. Things get complicated when they are made real to us. It means we have to care. It means we have to act.

I remember watching MSNBC late one night in college. There was an undercover documentary about young girls in Cambodia who had been sold into the sex trade industry. Some had been kidnapped from other countries and some had even been sold by their own parents. When I pulled this book out of the box, I immediately recognized a picture on the cover. It is of a man carrying a small child as they run from one of these undercover rescue operations. This book is a written account of the work that went on behind that documentary. One of the images from that television program that is burned into my memory is of a middle-aged man. The book describes this guy as the picture of the pudgy Western customer. This man was on vacation to have sex with children. He pulls aside of the IJM guys, who is undercover, and gives him tips on how to ask for "younger girls." Sickening.

How young are the girls that are being taken advantage of in Svay Pak? Read the following except from the book as told by one of the undercover officers...

I was escorted into a back room and immediately presented with no fewer than a dozen girls between the ages of five and ten who were available for me to sodomize, rape or molest for a few dollars. It was certainly one of the most appalling scenes I had ever encountered, but it was also one of the most surreal. Wow, Hell is just not many circles below the surface. And human beings can actually make it a routine abode. the darkness is very total. And it's here. And that's where we've got to go.

Yes, We have to go there too. Another quote in that same passage punched me in the gut. Haugen tries to explain his inner thoughts about what he has just witnessed. His words are how I feel now that these incidents have been made real to me. "It was," he says, "as if someone had reached inside to grab my deepest internal compass of reality and orientation and had sent the arrow spinning in circles with a massive flick of the finger." Truly, my life has been reoriented. When I ignore injustices like Rowanda, when I turn away from the man begging for change, and when I close my mouth to the global killer AIDS, I am helping injustice to breed. Hagen quotes MLK...

Cowardice asks the question- is it safe?
Expediency askes the question- is it popular?
But concious asks the question- is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right.

I have been changed because of this book and the actions of a small but powerful group of Christ's follwers in Washington, DC. I apoligize for the length of this post and I am barely scratching the surface of this wonderful book. I do want to leave you with one more thought. Haugen paraphrases philosopher John Locke's thoughts saying that "we as Christians say we believe the most movelous, earth-shattering, and revolutionary things: that we are fully loved by a good and all-powerful God who will never fail to secure us in life and death, that we are therefore free to experience and exhibit selfless love and courage and joy every day, no matter what, for eternity. But how many of us live as if these things are true? Begining today, I am one who will choose to live this way. Join with me.