Rethink Monthly - July/August 2009 by Rethink Monthly

RETHNK MONTHLY

THE PERSISTENCE OF DOUBT | IMAGO DEI | PRAYING WITH SWEAT

RETHINKING GOD IN TODAY’S CULTURE. FREE JULY/AUGUST 2009

WHAT AREYOU RETHINKING? We sat down with five of today’s prominent Christian leaders and asked them to share what’s on their mind, what’s keeping them up at night, and what they are rethinking.

Originally from a mid-sized suburb of Ontario, Canada, power pop/punk foursome Hawk Nelson calls itself “diehard believers in the transformative power of dreams, planning a course in musical expression underwritten by Biblical rooting at a young age and following through with vivaciousness each inch of the way.” As lifelong fans of pop/punk music the guys knew the steps it took to make a band and invested every ounce of energy into Hawk Nelson. “We defined our sound, cut an indie disc and started getting it in the hands of people,” explains Jason. “We toured all around Toronto- from youth groups to colleges to arcades- and sought to get kids into it. “After growing up listening to bands like TFK, MXPX and Slick Shoes, their contract with Tooth and Nail Records was the fulfillment of a huge dream. After four years and some growing, they’re still dreaming, but in a more rock way. Influences of Goldfinger, The All-American Rejects, Sum 41 and Green Day can now be heard in their music.

Joe Nichols Thursday, July 16

Bucky Covington &

Night Ranger Saturday, July 18

Western Underground

Friday, July 17

Friday Night BULL BASH Starts at 6:30PM!

Red Canoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FAMILY LAND All Throughout The FAIR!

editorial I could tell that my mother was nervous. She didn’t need to say anything; it was evident by the amount of food she made when my brand new girlfriend, Melissa, came home with me to meet the parents. There were only four of us, not forty. For many years my mom was the only woman in my life. She changed my diapers and taught me how to read and write. She taught me how to share, except of course, when it came to large baskets of fries from McDonald’s; those small little adventures we shared together were sacred. But, most importantly, she was the first to tell me about Jesus. And today she was about to meet the person who would do the same for her grandchildren. She was nervous, and rightly so. But I was equally nervous. My dad had a secret weapon and fully intended on using it. The photo album was strategically placed within arm’s reach. I could tell that my dad had it planned out, meticulously plotting my demise. Apparently it was humorous for him to show my future wife images of me in the most awkward stages of life; from chubby pre-pubescence to acne-laced teen. I wasn’t laughing. But beyond the embarrassment, my dad had a goal; to show Melissa an image of me when I shot my first deer. He takes pride in that picture, mostly because he was proud of me, but also because he’s passionate about hunting. Let’s face it, men like to shoot things. We like to pack our rifles, dress up in camouflage, and hide out for hours waiting for the perfect opportunity to suck the life out of the season’s biggest prize.

by Bo and Melissa Lane

Men don’t cry when they see blood. We join the NRA and put the sticker on our truck - not for proof, we simply like the way it reflects off the sun.

We don’t like the lack of manliness that often accompanies those promoting the gospel. We’re manly men remember? And we operate on manliness. It’s programmed within us.

Men like to watch movies where the good guy wins. We thrive when men like William Wallace stand up in front of other men and proclaim their independence, shouting, “They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”

Or at least it used to be.

Men hate the mall. We’d rather clean the garage or watch NASCAR. Men want their daughters to grow up and do girly things. Like play with dollies, put their hair in pigtails, and not date anyone until the age of forty two. Let me also mention (boy who wants to date my daughter) that men use knives. Remember that buck we shot last season? Yes, we skinned it. Take note. And when men use the phrase “last season,” we’re not referring to American Idol. Equally, men want their sons to grow up and do manly-things. Like watch football on Sunday, eat beans straight from the can, and grow a mop of facial hair in the winter. We commission them to protect their little sisters. And if that means we have to teach them how to jab with their left or perfect the Karate Kid swan kick, so be it. Men are men. We’re often uncivilized. We’ve been known to eat steaks raw and pick the leftovers out of our teeth with large sticks. That’s what we do.

The Barna Group recently released a study called, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America.” In it they noted that more than 90 percent of American men believe in God, and five out of six call themselves Christians. But only two out of six attend church on a given Sunday. The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church. They also concluded that midweek activities often draw 70 to 80 percent female participants. It begs the question: Where have all the cowboys gone? Or rather, why have we pushed them out of our churches? For too long, we’ve developed programs that cater mostly to women. For too long, we’ve replaced boldness and aggression with passivity. We’ve forgotten that Christianity was founded by a man, followed by a dozen other men. And for some reason, it doesn’t bother us that 70 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it during their teens and twenties and many of these boys will never return. There are 25 percent of married, churchgoing women who will worship without their husbands this Sunday. It’s my guess, that if we were to ask these women to lay down their lattes, remove the flowers that fill the sanctuary, and exchange it for a bow and arrow, they’d gladly do so.

But most importantly, real men love God. We want to experience God the provider, God the protector, God the inventor of Ultimate Fighting Championship, not the God of pastels. Bo & Melissa Lane are the proud parents of Benji and Belly Lane, the two most beautiful kids in the entire universe. Our family likes to eat at Red Robin, watch City of Ember, and invent ridiculously awesome harmonies for Jesus. Take a minute and holla at us: boandmel@rethinkmonthly.com

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rethink monthly MAGAZINE JULY / AUGUST 2009 - ISSUE 8 EDITORS/PUBLISHERS > Bo Lane > bo@rethinkmonthly.com Melissa Lane > melissa@rethinkmonthly.com MANAGING EDITOR > Shawnee Randolph > shawnee@rethinkmonthly.com SALES MANAGER > Ryan Dougherty > ryan@rethinkmonthly.com

CON TENTS

JULY/AUGUST 2009

ART DIRECTOR > Vin Thomas > vin@rethinkmonthly.com CREDITS > Cover image by Shelley Paulson. Additional images by Laura Furniss and Bo Lane. All images are property of their perspective owners and have been used by permission. All rights reserved. We’d like to thank Connie Andresen for her dictation, editing and editorial advice and Anthony Trask for conducting several of the interviews for our featured article.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS > Fred Allen, Gabe Montgomery, Rusty Geverdt, Erik Williams, Rachel Motte, John Wilhite, Craig Kuhn, Stefany Camenisch, and Danny Gette. RETHINK MONTHLY > ©2009 Rethink, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any renewal retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. RETHINK Monthly® is a registered trademark of Rethink, Inc and published bi-monthly. RETHINK Monthly® accepts no responsibility for unsolicited articles, reviews, features, graphics, or otherwise. The publisher reserves the rights to edit, rewrite, or refuse editorial material and assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or accuracy. RETHINK Monthly® cannot accept responsibility for claims made by its advertisers. Advertisers who place ads in RETHINK Monthly® do so with the understanding that RETHINK Monthly® will not accept responsibility for claims made by such in their ads, nor will the publisher be held financially accountable for errors in advertising (regardless of fault), beyond the partial or full cost of the ad themselves. Opinions expressed in RETHINK Monthly® are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the management, staff, advertisers or publisher. RETHINK Monthly® is a free publication and can be picked up locally within Salem, Keizer and the mid-Willamette valley. REACH US > RETHINK, Inc PO Box 17316 // Salem, OR 97305 Phone: 503-856-4430 // Fax: 503-394-7121 www.rethinkmonthly.com www.rethinkpodcast.com After you’ve read every single word of this magazine and have shared it with all your friends and family, please consider recycling it - or add it to your collection of Rethink Monthly magazines and save it forever.

Rethink Monthly Magazine is proudly printed locally at Western Oregon Web Press in Albany, Oregon. Find out more about them at www.oregonwebpress.com.

persistence of doubt Sometimes certainty conquers doubt, but it cannot eliminate doubt. The conquered of today may become the conqueror of tomorrow. Sometimes doubt conquers faith, but it still contains faith. Otherwise it would be indifference. [Paul Tillich, “The Life of Faith” 1958] Doubt has a bad reputation in faith circles. To be sure, the Biblical record comes down pretty hard on doubt and its practitioners. “He who doubts,” writes James, “is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” And poor Thomas, not quite as quick to adopt the company line, is condescendingly (and in hindsight) dubbed “doubting Thomas” by us smugly confident disciples. In a faith community doubt is no virtue, and those who experience doubt are to be pitied. As Jude writes, “Be merciful to those who doubt.” For most believers, doubt is the antithesis of faith, an insidious enemy subverting essential belief, numbing truth, crushing hope, and destroying both joy and meaning. Yet, though it may not ultimately demolish our faith, doubt is often persistent, if only as a chronic vague irresolution. Sometimes spiritual doubt is not so easily articulated. It might not be attached to questions about specific doctrines or the soul’s well-being. Many times doubt is merely unease, an uncertainty about what we actually know about the whole spiritual enterprise. This kind of doubt recognizes that there is much we simply do not—and maybe cannot—understand about God, ourselves, and the relationship between. This kind of doubt seems a form of genuine humility, prodded by the very things we do believe about a transcendent God and the limitations of a created humanity.

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Doubt is not necessarily unbelief in God or His Word. Sometimes it is a lack of confidence in our own assumptions about that word or uncertainty about the reliability of our perceptions. What God says and what I think he’s saying may be two different things. The Holy Spirit’s interpretive powers, history, and experience point to a signature predilection for misinterpretation. Sincerity is no safeguard against error. A generous allowance for our own ignorance may be the best way to approach divine realities. As Isaiah writes, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Human limitations are not a matter of degree but of category. But doubt need not be fatalistic. Good doubt recognizes not only that there are things unknown, but more importantly, that there are things yet to be known. Healthy skepticism about the adequacy of current understanding can motivate us to a pursuit of a greater one. Doubt can propel us to reach for what we do not yet have. For the Christian, spiritual doubt may nurture dissatisfaction with religious cliché and lead to a search for the substantive. More than that, doubt may open us to different ways spiritual knowledge can be experienced and even to altogether different kinds of spiritual knowledge. I’m not implying a New Age inclusiveness, but rather an anticipatory awareness that the God of the Bible is He who will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Doubt is born of both poverty and promise. The phrase “Know thyself” was inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and has been the mantra of the Western mind ever since. For the Greeks, the gods were terminally inscrutable, and knowledge of them was contingent and, ultimately, futile. So they turned the search for truth toward themselves. The 18th century English poet Alexander Pope wrote, “Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; the proper study of Mankind is Man.” Indeed, there is much to know about ourselves. We are astonishingly complex beings whose intricate dynamic systems defy reductionism. We are plumbless mysteries to ourselves.

by Fred Allen

By contrast, the Hebrews contended that true knowledge was found, not in knowing ourselves, but in knowing God. Yet this very God is Himself a fathomless, inexhaustible mystery. King David exulted in this mystery: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. A thousand years later the Apostle Paul asks, “Who has known the mind of the Lord?” For me this same glorious ignorance is captured in the simple phrase, “I don’t get it.” I used to flee from doubt. Now I realize that my doubt consists not of unbelief (at least as far as I can tell) but of honest questions, questions often prompted by the claims of Scripture as well as the often troubling discrepancies between the apparent normative Christian experience as recorded there and my own decidedly dimmer ones. Perhaps I should have entitled this article “The Persistence of Belief,” for it is my determination to learn the dance of faith that makes my missteps so apparent. Perhaps, as the theologian Paul Tillich suggests, faith and doubt are partners in the dance. Sometimes faith leads to questions, sometimes questions lead, if not exactly to answers, then to a richer, more delightful faith, a faith robust enough to entertain the next inevitable inquiry. Fred Allen heads up Burning Bush Ministries, teaches literature, draws cartoons, and writes a lot. He is the author of Our Daily Fred, an alternative online devotional, found at http://ourdailyfred.wordpress.com. He and his family live in Salem, Ore.

imago dei Anxious. Twitchy. Out of my element in more ways than one. But I’m here. I made it. When I finally got out of bed this morning, I raised my hands in triumph and did a victory dance into the bathroom. Church. I am going to church today. I’ve felt a similar anxiety before job interviews and court appearances. It seemed extremely important to spend more time than usual on personal hygiene, even trimmed the nose hairs. On the way, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry while I was there. I always sob like a baby during worship; it’s a mess to clean up-snot and salt water everywhere. I can’t help it. God is beautiful, I get emotional. Heading north on I-5, I didn’t feel like I was on my way to see the Prince of Peace, the God that is Love, my Redeemer. No, instead I felt like I was preparing for a confrontation, an appointment with the Righteous Judge, the God that is Truth, the Almighty; He knows me, knows my sin and rebellion. I have no excuses, no ignorance to blame for it, and I don’t want to hide anymore. Here, at church, alone but still together with my God family and our Father. My lungs feel shallow. My muscles are tight. Stomach feels like a pit. I feel like the ant beneath the magnifying glass. I stood there by myself, near the front so I could see. I still couldn’t see, but I was as close to the front as I dared. I really need to visit the eye doctor soon. I’m here though. I made it. Let’s see what happens. The absence of hype at this church is eerily refreshing. It feels less like church and more like a bunch of people gathered because they want to be together with Jesus.

The worship songs are unfamiliar and not loud enough to bury my own wretched voice. During the second worship song I felt a familiar lump in my throat. I sat down and started tapping this into my iTouch. I couldn’t genuinely sing worship songs at this point anyway, too much unresolved mess. I feel like a barefoot field worker at a fancy plantation banquet, draped in rags and feeling self-conscious in the presence of so much fine linen. It’s all in my head. I barely hear Pastor Rick McKinley’s sermon (about the trinity and our inclusion into Father God’s love for His Son) over my own gurgling thoughts, thoughts of conviction. I am paper thin. My flesh is a heavy costume, beneath I feel like water evaporating into steam. The sermon is over. It’s Communion time. The worship song is about Gods love and grace for us. I feel that lump in my throat, again. I stuff my hands in my pockets and try to tune it out. Then the song says something about being a child of God “wrecked by the fall.” It felt like a steam valve opened up. I’m falling apart. Trembling, I went forward and quickly took the sacraments, then retreated in search of a quiet place. I sat in the back with my face buried in my hands and sobbed. The wine soaked bread turning to a soggy mush in my mouth. I wasn’t really praying or looking for any sort of experience. It just hit me. Weird huh? I think I cry because it’s God, and He is big and beautiful and overwhelming. I mean, how do people not cry?

I’ve been ‘born again’ now for over ten years, and I remember when I used to be able to tell Jesus that I loved Him. And I did so, often, and meant it, too. These days those words don’t come so easy. Not because I don’t believe or accept Him; but in my mind, for me to tell Jesus ‘I love Him’ means that I would forsake all for Him. It means that I would pick up my cross and follow Him anywhere, and give anything to be near to Him. I honestly can’t say that now, and I wish I had a good excuse. Do you love Him? I want to. I want a lot of things. When I think of how much He loves me, I really want to more than anything. I think it’s probably the hardest thing in the world to really do, to just love Jesus. Thank God, His love is the easiest thing in the world to accept and receive. So I went. Now what? Driving south on I-5, it’s a sunny Sunday afternoon. I feel a little lighter than before. I resolve not to make any more promises I can’t keep. A while back I promised myself I’d stop doing that. I just hang my left arm out the open car window and enjoy the buzz of getting outside of my comfort zone. I laugh at myself for still crying like a baby in church even after ten years. I cross my fingers and promise that I will go to church more than a few times in the next ten years. Gabriel McGraw Montgomery currently resides in Salem, Oregon where he enjoys feeling at home with his friends and family while simultaneously day-dreaming about distant lands. Gabe is interested in all sorts of creative expression and is almost convinced that his mom is right, and it’s not too late to go back to school. Gabe likes people and can be reached at gabemcgraw@yahoo.com.

Seems like it’s always the same, somewhere behind closed eyes in a quiet place, a Beloved Son Savior is holding my battered broken self in His loving arms, lifting me up to His Father. Unconditional love, grace and mercy; inclusion and acceptance crash against me like waves. My Judge is my Redeemer. That God is Love. He is Truth. That’s all. I don’t need to be excited or inspired; I just need to accept God and the fact that He accepts me. He loves me.

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by Gabe Montgomery

ABOUT IMAGO DEI COMMUNITY Imago Dei started in the fall of 2000, with a pretty simple plan: be a church that builds the Kingdom. Their purpose is equally simple: take the whole Gospel to the whole person to the whole world. They currently meet at Franklin High School in Portland, Ore. and have three Sunday services at 9am, 10:30am, and 12pm. www.imagodeicommunity.com

www.wsfc.org saturdays @ 6 pm sundays @ 9 & 11 am

new film is resurrecting the dead J.J. Abrams is a miracle worker. Everything he touches turns to gold, even perennial bastion of geekdom, Star Trek. Abrams took a franchise that could only pull an audience who was taking a break from World of Warcraft in their parents’ basement and turned it into a mainstream phenomenon. Star Trek took in $76.5 million over the opening weekend (and $222,712,175 to date), and has been universally critically acclaimed. Finally, closeted Trek fans everywhere can shoot their “Live Long and Prosper” with pride.

you don’t have to have hips to be my girl It looks like His Royal Badness, Prince, needs a double hip replacement. However, due to his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness, he’s refusing the surgery, as they do not believe in blood transfusions. Now the diminutive R&B star is walking with a diamond-studded stick to keep him upright. I’m sure he’d rather have a Raspberry beret or a little red Corvette, but for now Prince is stuck with the stick. It just shows that sultry dance moves like Prince’s catch up to you. Watch out, Michael Jackson ...

taking life to a whole new level Xbox recently unveiled “Project Natal,” code name for a revolutionary new way to play, no controller required. See a ball? Kick it, hit it, trap it or catch it. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips or speak, you and your friends can jump into the fun. The only experience needed is life experience. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice. In addition, “Project Natal” can recognize you just by looking at your face, and it doesn’t just react to key words but understands what you’re saying. Call a play in a football game, and players will actually respond. We at Rethink want to know what’s next. Mind recognition?

iPhone 3G S: the“S” stands for smack down iPhone fans got what they were waiting for June 8 when the third-generation model of Apple’s popular handset made its debut during the WWDC 2009 keynote. The iPhone 3G S, which hit stores June 19, promises a faster iPhone with an extended battery life, more memory, and improved features. It looks exactly the same as the previous model, but both the 16GB ($199) and new 32GB ($299) models will come in white and black versions. But Apple put the smack down and offered an 8GB version for only $99. Though the new model offers a faster processor, an extended battery life, an autofocus 3 megapixel digital camera, video recording, voice control and digital compass, not all is a bed of roses. AT&T is doing a little smack down of their down. Existing customers who are not currently eligible for an upgrade discount can purchase iPhone 3GS for $399 for the 8GB model or $499 for the 16GB model. Both options require a new twoyear service agreement. Ouch. We say wait. Or not.

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Word of Mouth Bistro serves up delightful transgressions

Dar Essalam brings Morroco to Wilsonville From the outside, Dar Essalam looks like any other restaurant, but open the doors and you’ll walk into an atmosphere decorated with genuine furniture and artwork straight from Morocco. Abdul, the owner, is from Morocco and his wife Dee is from the States. Their sons are often found working there as well. They all are extremely friendly, truly adding to the experience of such fine Moroccan dining. My meal began with a plate of four different salads. Though the salad could stand as a meal on its own, it is the Moroccan mint tea that takes center stage. Abdul pours hot tea from the pot and raises it high. He then pours it back in the pot and repeats the process for a perfectly delightful surprise for your taste buds. It was the perfect strength and kept me wanting more. I ordered the Sultan’s Kabob - a variety of lamb, kefta, steak, chicken, and shrimp skewers, each one branded with its own unique flavor. I could have chosen a side of couscous salad but I went with a side of saffron rice - making my meal a flawless combination. Though I wanted to eat the entire meal on my own, but there was plenty to split between two. I almost chose the Baklava for desert, a buttery pastry layered with almonds, walnuts, and orange essence, but I went with the Casablanca instead. It’s a crisp, buttery pastry, stuffed with peaches, pears and bananas, dusted with powdered sugar, and sprinkled with toasted almonds. To top it off, it was served warm with a generous portion of vanilla bean ice cream. Needless to say, my experience at Dar Essalam was outstanding. Great food. Great atmosphere. Great people.

The little house on 17th just off State Street in northeast Salem has seen more lives than a cat. I think it previously has been a musical instrument store and at least three different cafes. Set in a kind of frumpy, uptownish neighborhood that can’t quite decide what it wants to be, the house always seemed to be a happening just waiting to happen. My recent visit to Word of Mouth, the funky little bistro currently resident in the place, has given me hope that the house, like the Tin Man, has finally gotten its long-awaited heart. Inside, the house is bright and clean. The small tables (no parties of 8 here) are scattered through several “rooms,” but they are open to each other. This gives the place a casual intimacy, which is the hallmark of a good neighborhood bistro, without making you feel claustrophobic. My server was friendly and attentive. I felt like I’d discovered a well-kept secret, tucked off the beaten path. In a way, I had. My wife had visited before me and, knowing my love for a certain dessert, recommended the Crème Brulee French Toast. Dutifully (yeah, right) I ordered it. It came quickly and hot. One bite was all I needed to know that his place was for real. Good French toast - I mean really good French toast - is a rarity, and this item, if it were the only thing on the menu, would make Word of Mouth a culinary destination. But a look at the menu reveals that these people are serious about what they do. From the breakfast offerings to the lunch and dinner choices it’s clear that this little bistro is aiming for something special. As a resident of Salem for 18 years, I’ve long lamented the dearth of unique and fun places to eat. Word of Mouth may give some of us a reason not to drive to Portland. By the time I left, the place was packed and folks were sitting in the porch area waiting for a table. Good sign, I thought. As I stepped out into the fresh morning, I felt that mild “decadent” sensation that comes only after an enjoyable dining experience. It was a pleasant guilt, and I will no doubt return to Word of Mouth for another delightful transgression.

praying with sweat I recently found a frustrated 11-year-old hiding behind a tree in our front yard. It was one of those times when willful protest regarding homework seemed wise to our youngest son, Aidan. That didn’t go over well with me, so I went out searching and found an angry face peering from behind the big oak. A pouty lip and angry eyes seemed to say, “I’m not doing anything,” yet there was the hint of a smile as he ducked behind the tree again.

He fought me hard, sometimes with frustration, sometimes with laughs, while straining and pulling with all his might. When I had him all wrapped up in my arms I’d say, “What are you learning?”

From tree to tree he ran when I called him in. “I’m not doing it, I’m not doing it,” he yelled. I turned back into the garage as it began to rain…hard… and soon the outside frustration was brought inside.

“Yes I am”, I said, “I’m way stronger than you know…” He’d twist all the more to break my hold. “My love for you is strong…stronger than you know.” I’d say, over and over.

The tactics of avoidance are different inside; running away doesn’t work nearly so well. I held his arm to focus attention, and he angrily twisted and fought me off. He was clearly upset, but there was that smile again. He flipped between resisting and enjoying the struggle in my arms for a good ten minutes. It wasn’t playful, but it wasn’t all-out aggression, either. I kept saying to him, “I’m strong and I won’t let go of you. You don’t know how much I love you. As much as you struggle, I’ll never let go. I’m very strong, I can outlast you. I’ll never stop loving you.” I kept repeating what was true.

The more he struggled, the more I’d say it. He didn’t want to respond, but I was unrelenting. “You’re strong”, he finally barked out.

His energy was spent, but I held tight, I wanted real strength to be felt. When I finally let loose, the spirit of things changed in the house. There was still resistance, but more willingness, too. He needed to fight, and he needed to be resisted, but resisted with love…. love that wouldn’t let go. The next morning in the 8-10 am prayer meeting at Cincinnati House of Prayer, an unexpected surge of energy and strength came upon everyone in the prayer room. The atmosphere was supercharged. We all felt it in different ways, and pressed in hard. We were seriously “wrestling” in the place of prayer for the city, the church, and the region. We were gripped for over an hour. We knew that we were touching something powerful. Breathing heavy and even wiping my brow, it dawned on me how familiar this morning’s prayer meeting felt like the wrestling of the evening before. There was real effort and purpose in it; something was happening. Just then I heard the Lord speak to me, “What are you learning?” I began to smile, feeling the connection.

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by Rusty Geverdt

“You’re strong!” I said on the inside. I heard in return, “More than you know, the greatest always wins.” 1 Cor. 13:13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Aidan had acquiesced the previous evening, but I’m sure we’ll wrestle again, perhaps soon. But love is strong. It never gives up. It never fails. And so it is with prayer. “When the Son of man returns, will He find this kind of faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) I know He will; the question is whether He’ll find it in me? I see I have some “strength” training to do. Wrestling in Love, at home or for the city still finds me weak. Fortunately, Cincinnati has a “prayer fitness center” called the Cincinnati House of Prayer. Strength training is done daily. Whew! I’m not as fit as I plan to be. See you in the gym. Rusty Geverdt is the Executive Director for Cincinnati House of Prayer. He and his family are full-time intercessory missionaries. You can visit their website at www.cincyhop.com or request him as a friend on Facebook.

Is the Holy Spirit at work on twitter? According to a recent Time magazine article, it might be. Time recently highlighted a congregation in Michigan that has hosted about a dozen “Twitter Sundays”, complete with increased bandwidth in the church sanctuary and training sessions for those new to the medium. John Voelz, a pastor at Westwinds Community Church, developed the idea while trying to think of ways to make church “not suck.” Voelz is one of a growing number of pastors who have found ways to integrate twitter and other new technologies into their weekly worship services: “In Seattle, Mars Hill churchgoers regularly tweet throughout the service. In New York City, Trinity Church marked Good Friday by tweeting the Passion play, detailing the stages of Jesus’ crucifixion in short bursts. At Next Level Church, outside Charlotte, N.C., it’s not only O.K. to fuse social-networking technology with prayer; it’s desirable.” Twitter, it’s argued, strengthens community ties and offers church goers a new way to express what they are thinking and feeling during the Sunday morning service. Some tweet questions to the pastor as he preaches. Others tweet sermon notes, and still others tweet real-time comments on the service. These tweets are broadcasted via video projector in the church for all to see. In other words, twitter allows people to begin silently “fellowshipping” with other believers before the Sunday morning coffee hour even starts. But is this really fellowship? No, not really. That’s the problem. The writer of Hebrews told his readers, “Let us not give up meeting

together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25) He meant that literally. No matter how advanced communication methods become, there will never be an adequate substitute for faceto-face interaction, and there will never be a replacement for real-life fellowship. We have souls, and we crave interaction with other souls, but we also have bodies. When we communicate through technology, we functionally disembody ourselves. There’s a great difference, for example, between talking to your mother on the phone and talking to her in person. When you can communicate with someone unseen without even using your voice, you separate yourself even further. Misunderstandings become more commonplace and relationship building more difficult. Instead of bringing us closer to those around us, technologies like twitter actually tend to separate us - and it’s hard to teach people about the glories of the incarnation while dis-incarnating yourself online. Communication has always been a key part of Christianity, and the Church should certainly learn to make use of new methods. The modern Evangelical church would not exist in its current form if the printing press had never been invented, and today’s technology may become similarly useful for the Church, but not if we don’t keep our eyes open. So should you tweet during church? No, unless perhaps you are trying to help someone far away (say, in the mission field) feel marginally included. When you are in church, you should be in church, and you risk being less than fully present if you’re busy with your iPhone. Concentrate instead on worshipping the Lord with your body and your soul - your community will thrive when all eyes are on Him.

Twitter biggest demographics is adults age 35-49. During the terrorist attack in Mumbai (India) eyewitnesses sent approximately 80 messages every 5 seconds in Twitter. ‘Twittering’ helped compile the list of those dead and wounded and gave direction to dispatch emergency vehicles. Men comprise 45% of Twitter users, while women represent 55%. In October 2008, the U.S. special services had come to see Twitter as a possible communication service for terrorist organizations.

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WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? We sat down with five of today’s prominent Christian leaders and asked them to share what’s on their mind, what’s keeping them up at night, and what they are rethinking. And this is what they had to say...

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I HAVE BEEN CONVICTED THAT MY PRAYERS ARETOO SMALL. - JUDWILHITE (SENIORPASTOROFCENTRALCHRISTIANCHURCH)

I LIVEWITH AN ACHE INSIDETHAT SAYSTHERE’S ALWAYS MORE OF GODTO UNCOVER AND DISCOVER. IWANT MORE OF HIM.

- MARGARET FEINBERG (POPULARSPEAKERANDAUTHOR)

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MARGARET FEINBERG WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? On a recent trip to Israel, we visited the Garden where Jesus’ resurrection may have taken place. As I walked inside the tomb, I was once again reminded of the resurrecti ng power of Jesus, just the fact that our God is a God of life, who gives life; who brings back to life. Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of sorting through culture wars, keeping a list of do’s and don’ts, or even who’s stacking up the best ammo when it comes to arguing a hot topic of faith. But when Jesus boldly proclaimed, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” He didn’t just say those words, He lived them. The word “life” was never meant to be interpreted as number 3 on the list...something we’ll get to. Life flowed out of Jesus everywhere He went— healing, giving hope, challenging, and even resurrecting. All of this has made me question how much of the life of Jesus I really have. How much do I give that life to others? This thinking and rethinking makes me want to experience more of the life of Christ, and allow it to flow out of me like living waters. WHAT’S KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT? A hunger for God. I pray regularly for hunger whenever it wanes and it’s the kind of prayer that God never seems to say “no” to. He always gives me more. I live with an ache inside that says there’s always more of God to uncover and discover. I want more of Him.

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HOW IS THAT TRANSLATED INTO YOUR OWN LIFE AND IN THE LIVES OF THOSE YOU INFLUENCE? In my writing, it forces me to be far more vulnerable than I am in real life. I have friends who lovingly joke, “Margaret, I buy your books to find out what’s really going on in your life.” So often I want to hold back. I’m intensely private, but then I feel that nudge that if I share those things I most want to keep to myself, God can do amazing things through them. And He does. WHO IS MARGARET FEINBERG? A popular speaker at churches and leading conferences such as Fusion, Catalyst, and LeadNow, Margaret Feinberg (www.margaretfeinberg.com) invites people to discover the relevance of God and His Word in a modern world. Audiences love her ability to connect the practical with the spiritual. Recently named by Charisma magazine as one of the “30 Emerging Voices” who will help lead the church in the next decade, she has written more than a dozen books including the criticallyacclaimed The Organic God and the Sacred Echo (Zondervan). People of all ages connect with her relational teaching style. Margaret currently lives in Morrison, Colorado, with her 6’ 8’’ husband, Leif. When she’s not writing or traveling, she enjoys anything outdoors, lots of laughter, and their super-pup, Hershey. But she says some of her best moments are spent communicating with her readers. Search “Margaret Feinberg on Facebook or follow her on twitter, www.twitter.com/mafeinberg.

FRANCIS CHAN WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? It’s getting pretty pathetic how people call themselves Christians and how terrified we are of everything. There’s just not the courage, boldness, and the strength that I see in Scripture and there isn’t an emphasis on that. We have people who are scared to talk to their next door neighbors, there are people who are scared to disciple, it’s just nothing like it was in the beginning. There seems like there was such a boldness and you couldn’t shut the believers up back then, now we can’t prod them to speak. So, the big thing is just praying for a spirit of boldness in the church again and encouraging people to believe that they can share the gospel powerfully, and that they don’t need their senior pastor to do it for them. WHAT CAUSES US TO LOSE THIS BOLDNESS? I think what happens is that new believers get fired up and start sharing their faith with everyone they know, but once they get into an established church, they realize that no one else really lives that way. Instead, they just attend Bible studies and show up to service and so they just get sucked into that kind of mindset. In fact, people even encourage them to slow down and get educated rather than fanning that flame of evangelism and being on mission. I think the church itself kind of deadens these new believers as the Holy Spirit comes into them, we tame them and slow them down.

HOW ARE YOU ENCOURAGING THOSE YOU INFLUENCE TO LIVE OUT THIS NEW TESTAMENT BOLDNESS? What we are learning is that the Sunday morning platform of a guy speaking up front and people nodding their heads hasn’t been the most effective means of moving people to action. It’s a great entry point, and people can change a little bit here and there, but the majority of the people hears the Word and deceives themselves, and does nothing about it. We have really been pushing things in the community. We have been pushing people to literally pastor their neighborhoods rather than looking for a church system or structure to do that for them. We now have lay people in neighborhoods who are acting as pastor, who are separating those people in the communities and doing all the marital counseling, doing weddings, and some even teaching them on Sunday mornings. We have to teach them that they have power; they have the Holy Spirit in them. WHO IS FRANCIS CHAN? Francis Chan is pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. He is also the founder of Eternity Bible College and sits on the board of directors of Children’s Hunger Fund and World Impact. Francis spends much of his time speaking to students around the country, committed to teaching directly from the Bible. His passion is to see the church display a much deeper love for Jesus. Francis lives in California with his wife, Lisa, and their four children.

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JUD WILHITE WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? I have been convicted that my prayers are too small. I have been reading about the Great Awakening in America and just thinking about how the entire city of Philadelphia went out to a field to hear George Whitfield speak. It has happened before, and like how small my prayers are to imagine the entire city of Las Vegas going out in the desert to hear a message about Christ. My prayers are too small, and our God is so much bigger than I give Him credit. It hasn’t sunk into my life enough but I am trying to expand my vision of what God can do and who He is, and all that He is accomplishing. HOW DOES THAT CONVICTION PLAY OUT AS YOU LEAD YOUR COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE IN LAS VEGAS? Recently we had a spontaneous baptism moment where I just challenged people to come down and commit to Christ, and commit to be baptized on the spot. It was a kind of non-emotive message, it wasn’t highly emotional. It was pretty straight forward teaching about what it means to be a Christian and what it means to be baptized. We had over 1200 adults walk down front, walk right outside, and jump into cold water in their clothes and just get baptized. There were so many tears and so much emotion. So I’m standing backstage and we are

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all in tears. It wasn’t just about numbers for us; it was about the people that we love and because of that, we were in awe at what we were experiencing. This guy said, “I remember when this church was only 600 people in size.” And we’re going to baptize more than 600 people this weekend.” This is the moment where I thought about how big God is, and I said, “Now we are a church of 15,000. The day will come when we will baptize 15,000 in one day.” The guy looked at me and his jaw hit the ground. It’s not about the numbers. It’s about God. And I’m finally getting my mind around the fact that God can do that if He chose to. And it is not just about us, that we are so good or talented, or the church is this or that, because it’s not. We are just broken, messed up people in this broken, messed up city, and God is doing a work for His glory. We get to be part of it, and that is just awesome. WHO IS JUD WILHITE? Jud Wilhite lives with his family in the Las Vegas area where he serves as Senior Pastor of Central Christian Church. Over 15,000 people attend Central’s campuses along with a global community who attend online. Jud is the author of several books including Eyes Wide Open, Uncensored Grace and Deadly Viper Character Assassins with Mike Foster.

ANNE JACKSON WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? I’ve been rethinking how we, the church in America, look at the church globally. The church in America has a great part in that we care for the poor, and there are definitely churches doing really amazing things in countries that need our help, and at the same time, I think that there is so much more for our eyes to be open to. I have had the experience in the last year of being able to travel to three third-world countries. I have been to Uganda, the Dominican Republic, and just recently to India, and the churches there don’t even have basic technology such as running water, toilets, air conditioning, or mattresses. I mean there are so many basic things that we just take for granted in our own world that they don’t have. To see how the Holy Spirit moves inside those churches without the modern technology is just incredible. I think we have a lot to learn from them, and we also have a responsibility to equip and resource them. HOW IS GOD PUSHING YOU TO GET MORE PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH THIS PASSION FOR THE POOR? My husband and I are completely evaluating how we can live on less and give more. We have decided to downsize and are moving into this little 800 sq. ft., one-bedroom cottage that our

friends are renting to us for really cheap. We have paid off our credit cards, and it has taken us a while to get to a point where we are giving this much away, and we are evaluating how we spend our money on monthly expenses, so what’s next? What else can we do? We have found that God has always provided. He has placed in our hearts this incredible dream that we don’t have to change the world, but if we can change one life, and Jesus says, “If you do this to the least of these, you have done it unto me.” He didn’t say do it to multitudes, He says if you do it to one person, you are doing it to me. I think that is very powerful, and it can be overwhelming to think that there are a million children that are going to die of malaria this year. And because it is so overwhelming, just focusing on doing what is in front of you, and who God has placed in front of you, and those opportunities is very empowering. God wants to use us to meet those needs. WHO IS ANNE JACKSON? Anne Jackson is a former PK, and also has served in a variety of full time ministry roles for the last half-decade. Her blog, www. flowerdust.net, is ranked as one of the highest blogs in Christian leadership with hundreds of thousands of pageviews each month. She is an advocate for Compassion International. Anne and her husand Chris life in Nashville, TN.

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MARK BATTERSON WHAT ARE YOU RETHINKING? This year we will take 10 missions trips to 10 countries in 10 months. It really came out of this single thought: I would rather have people take one missions trip, because I think more happens on a mission’s trip, than people listening to 52 of my sermons. We have been rethinking how we can mobilize people for missions, and it’s exciting to see, as we send people out on these one day, one week or ten day short term missions trips, a lot of them wind up returning to the mission fields on a full term basis.

great place where the church and community cross paths. We serve hundreds of customers everyday, and we give every penny of profit from it to missions. Last year our net profit was $89,000. If you want to give a million dollars to missions, you can motivate people to give, whether generously or just sacrificially, and we shoudn’t throw that out. But the way I see it is if we had achieved ten coffee houses, then profit about $100,000, you would be giving that million dollars to missions right there. So what am I rethinking? How we fund missions and leverage finances for Kingdom purposes.

HOW ARE YOU RETHINKING YOUR STRATEGY TO MOBILIZE A YOUNGER GENERATION OF BELIEVERS? We are really motivated by giving money to missions. I always believe that God is going to bless us in proportions when we give to missions. So this year we want to give a half a million dollars, which is great considering that our congregation is 70 percent, single twenty-somethings, and they are not in their peak earning stage. So I am thrilled about that but it is not nearly enough, we need to give millions of dollars to missions, and we will get there, it’s just something to be committed to growing more so we can give more. We own and operate the largest coffee house on Capital Hill. It is a

WHO IS MARK BATTERSON? Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC. One church with nine services in five locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations. Mark has two Masters Degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, Illinois and is the author of a best-selling book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. His latest release is Wild Goose Chase and he blogs daily @ www.markbatterson.com. Mark is married to Lora and they live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.

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CHANGE. WILL WE? One snowflake is fragile but together they can stop traffic. What can we - the CHURCH - do together that we cannot do separate?

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GOOD FOLKS @ DYNAMIC LIFE

twitter // ontheflynatedog

text // 503.949.9901

website // www.dynamiclife.org

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Political correctness--a philosophy that discourages diversity of viewpoints--has become a guiding principle of modern society. If someone might be offended, freedom of speech is erased. Nowhere is this more evident than in the schools, especially when religion is involved. Things have gotten so ridiculous that the mere mention of God is enough to send public school officials into a tailspin. Just consider what happened to Renee Griffith on her graduation day. By virtue of her scholastic achievements, Renee was one of ten valedictorians selected to deliver remarks at graduation about what they had learned during their time at Butte High School in Butte, Montana. The students prepared their own remarks, and some delivered them together, in an alternating fashion. Renee paired up with another student, Ethan, to talk about the lessons they had learned in school, which ranged from the humorous and mundane to the heartfelt. For instance, Renee learned that “there is no pool on the fifth floor,” “Homecoming Week is a time when people can wear underwear on the outside of their pants and no one cares,” and “gym clothes are to be forgotten on Mondays and piled in lockers on Fridays.” Ethan learned that “fire alarms only go off on cold days,” “you don’t get in trouble for running through the halls; people just look at you funny,” and “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but a little water can fix that.” School officials who reviewed the remarks prior to graduation did not raise any objections to the students’ light-hearted remarks. And they certainly didn’t object to Ethan’s earnest observation that “it takes just one person to get a rock rolling down a hill, and likewise, it takes just one person to traverse this planet to gather change. The power for change is inherent in humanity and each individual. We all have the framework for greatness and impact. Thus, it is important that we all realize the foundation within all of us and step out to better and further the world.” What they did object to, ironically enough, was Renee’s heartfelt statement about how she learned to stand up for her religious convictions. “I learned to persevere these past four years, even through failure or discouragement, when I had to stand for my convictions,” wrote Renee. “I didn’t let fear keep me from sharing Christ and His joy with those around me. I learned to impart hope, to encourage people to treat each day as a gift. I learned not to be known for my grades or for what I did during school, but for being committed to my faith and morals and being someone who lived with a purpose from God with a passionate love for Him.” Little did Renee know when she wrote those words that her world would be turned upside down. Just prior to the graduation ceremony, Renee was given an ultimatum by school officials: either strip references to God from her speech and replace them with more neutral phrases or be forbidden to participate in the graduation program. For example, instead of saying “I didn’t let fear keep me from sharing Christ and His joy with those around me,” school officials instructed

Renee to say “I didn’t let fear keep me from sharing my faith with those around me.” And instead of “being someone who lived with a purpose from God with a passionate love for Him,” she was told to describe herself as “someone who lived with a purpose, a purpose derived from my faith and based on a love of mankind.” Renee did not hesitate for a moment. She knew her rights and insisted on having her right to free speech respected. She wanted to use the words of her choice in order to talk about the lessons she had learned in school. After all, other students were permitted to use words of their choosing to share what they had learned. In fact, in such a sea of speeches, it’s doubtful that anyone would have noticed, let alone cared about, the inclusion of those two small words in her speech: “God” and “Christ.” Unfortunately for Renee, school officials cared enough to totally ban her from participating in the graduation ceremony. This was simply political correctness rearing its ugly head once again. If there are two words that are politically incorrect, and thus taboo in the public schools today, they are “Jesus Christ.” Instead of being honest, school officials disguised their political correctness by hiding behind the mantra of “separation of church and state.” Yet this was not a state-paid teacher or other state employee speaking-it was a student who had not only earned the right to address her classmates, she was invited to do so. Moreover, the argument that the graduation ceremony was a schoolsponsored event doesn’t hold much water. The majority of people at that ceremony were either adults or on the brink of adulthood. They would have no difficulty distinguishing between a student and someone speaking on behalf of the school. However, because Renee is a Christian, her speech was squelched, which has nothing to do with church-state doctrine and everything to do with censorship. Yet the beauty of the First Amendment is that it grants us the right to free speech, including free speech that references God. It also protects atheistic speech. There’s an old axiom that what children learn in school today will be the philosophy of government tomorrow. The lesson being taught to our young people is that, for some of us, there is no such thing as free speech. However, as historian Roland Bainton reminds us, “All freedoms hang together. Civil liberties scarcely thrive when religious liberties are disregarded, and the reverse is equally true.” In other words, if all freedoms hang together, then they will fall together, too. In fact, they will fall like dominoes. John W. Whitehead is an attorney and author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law and human rights. Whitehead’s concern for the persecuted and oppressed lead him, in 1982, to establish The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties andn human rights organization whose international headquarters are located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Visit the website at www.rutherford.org.

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night that My personal pursuit of truth happened so fast that fateful started spinning it left an indelible memory. Moments before the car at window of my uncontrollably, I was blissfully staring out the backse celebrating my sixth parent’s car as we drove back home to Salem after mind like a badly birthday in Portland. That’s when the thought hit my but complimisplayed line drive: put your seatbelt on. Slightly startled That began. chaos the as just lap my over lt ant I clicked my seatbe a blow out at 70 seemingly simple command saved my life as we had have been my last miles an hour; had I not put that seatbelt on that may for truth that birthday celebration. Thus was the beginning of a quest years. forty than has lasted now for more to God. Even Granted, not everyone has such a dramatic introduction to the masses at so, I believe that God does indeed introduce Himself least daily. Consider what we read in Psalm 19: ent shows His The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmam night reveals handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto voice is not their where ge langua nor speech knowledge. There is no heard. (Psalm 19:1-3, NKJV) ng the heavA note from my Study Bible says, “[A]ll of creation includi uses the section this r, Furthe y.” majest and ens reveals God’s glory characterisfigure of speech personification (“the ascribing of human this passage even tics or actions to inanimate objects”), which makes on a global more compelling since their “voice” appears to be heard is a God there g knowin least at in excuse t basis, so no one is withou (see Romans 1:20). when in fact they, But how is a 21st century man to explain their voice briefly paint you me Let voice? literal a have y the stars, do not actuall in the Minam a picture. Years ago, a friend and I were backpacking pitched our we night One ains. Mount a Drainage area of the Wallow 7,500 feet. That tents on a rugged, granite ridge at an altitude of about the stars shone night there was no moon and no clouds, that meant ation. What’s in an unrivaled brilliance, dazzling both mind and imagin the brilliance ng reflecti lake elt snowm clear a more, nearby there was ow that quickly back up to the sky; in essence, we had a double star-sh that even the most compelled contemplation about creation. I suggest the wonder of the ardent Atheist would be momentarily breathless at it was being site, for this star-show was not just double-brilliance; beauty. If displayed in the natural theater of majestic mountainous

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to enjoy “His you have not had the chance for such a natural setting rd on a clear, backya your in stand least at can handiwork,” then you h the competition moonless night and still see a star-show even throug of suburban luminescence. sense, they are So while the heavens are not talking to us in a literal a degree that certainly communicating to us in a visual sense to such give credence alone ows star-sh Just soul. our in they elicit wonder deep d the heavens to God’s creation declaration in Genesis 1:1 that He “create and the earth.” ted to God. “The However, such deserved credence is not always attribu be determined by way the universe started out at the Big Bang would logist Stephen the state of the universe in imaginary time,” said cosmo Pearcey said of J. Hawking. Incredulously I ask, “What!?” Colson and science for sheer “imaginary time” that it was “to leave the domain of e fiction and magic.” I would place the phrase even outside scienc l proclamation hysica metap the er consid Or y. into the realm of fantas e is a product of uttered in the PBS series “Evolution” that the univers further, the Na“purposeless, meaningless matter in motion.” Even ing of the universe tional Geographic euphemistically stated the beginn as being “created by dark matter.” the origination of So here we have credible scientific sources claiming fic. Even renown the universe more in the fantastic than in the scienti God Delusion, Atheist Richard Dawkins states, in chapter one of The fixed law of gravthat our “planet has gone cycling on according to the beautiful and most ity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most least one of the wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” At was more honest physics books I used in my undergraduate education ” when it stated, “no one knows how the universe began. ally avert the Considering the scientific community seems to continu explanation ical theolog a to return must we us, glaring question before heavens and earth.” of creation, that is, “in the beginning God created the religion demands And even though Atheist columnist Katrina Voss states cannot explain one when te, exquisite stupidity; I suggest just the opposi e, but univers the of and man of both origin, s or even plausibly addres inability to grasp instead continually denies God’s existence to mask the More rational something so vast, is itself stupidity, if not delusional. of man or of the thinkers would simply say they do not know the origin truth. of denials te elabora such t attemp universe rather than

Creative Stages Consider the following model of what I call “The Five of the explosive r” “ignite the was what) (or Who ing:’” of ‘In the Beginn ary time or imagin as igniter the start to the universe? Scientists state before, is ced referen as time, ary imagin say to ss Needle dark matter. cluebeing for ism euphem a sheer fantasy; and dark matter is merely leaves then This it. ing admitt of fearful being while less about origin everlasting,” us with only one other option: God. “You [God] are from 93:2b. states Psalm the exploWhat fuel did the igniter use to light the fuse that caused llations] in its sion? “Can you [Job] bring Mazzaroth [literally conste s? Can you set season? Do you know the ordinances of the heaven questions posed cal rhetori are their dominion over the earth?” These Job cannot do that , course of is, thrust The 33. and 38:32 to Job in Job can. these things but only the Creator, God, dot that For subscribers of the Big Bang theory, where did the pop out of just cannot hing Somet from? come ed eventually explod ary time imagin the of r nothing. Unless, of course, you’re a followe is real. Mouse Mickey think even would you guess I concept, then mentioned in What or Who, lit the dot? This is referring to the fuse the fuse the fuel Stage 2 above; Stage 2 was the fuel while Stage 4 is is lighting. And finally, the explosion itself. pre-creation Of these five stages, the first four are what I call the pre-creation any ses addres ly plausib theory fic scienti stages. No thus, science stage in any way other than via fantasy or euphemism; ly and logical we when said, That origin. g definin in falls quite short Dark or Time ary Imagin vs. honestly consider In the beginning God , or, Design ent Intellig toward points record tiary eviden Matter, our the God toward points ce stated in a more direct manner, the eviden earth. and s heaven Creator of the go outside and So the next time you have a clear, moonless night, up wonderingly gaze then and let your eyes adjust to the darkness, so doing, in t suspec I ork. handiw His of display ic at the majest from. But you will hardly have to try to ponder where this all came and then 19 Psalm re-read and inside back go sure, not lest you’re us. marvel that God chooses to share His splendor with From Cult Craig Kuhn is a husband and father, author of the book on the Elder to Christ, is a first year Seminary student, and serves Board at New Harvest Church in Salem, Oregon.

www.wsfc.org saturdays @ 6 pm sundays @ 9 & 11 am

amazing grace Prior to surrendering to Christ, I lived a life that was a lie. I abused alcohol, stole to make ends meet, and lied to anyone who would listen. I was searching for my identity and I thought that someone else held the key to who I was. At 25 I was a single mother, going through a divorce. I didn’t know how to deal with the pain and anger of my faltering relationship, so I started pretending. I pretended it didn’t hurt, and I pretended I didn’t care. Over time I actually started to believe my own lies. Eventually, I started to find comfort at bars. I didn’t have to feel the pain, and I didn’t have to accept the truth. Pretending and living a lie became a reality for me. I was constantly running, and hiding. But the only person I ran from was me. I became so addicted to the atmosphere of the bar, and that lifestyle became my priority. The night-life, the people, the lies, allowed for me to create a person I thought was better than everybody else. This lifestyle satisfied what I thought I needed. Unfortunately, the addiction became so powerful, that I could not financially survive. At this point, I realized something was wrong, but I wasn’t ready to admit that. I knew I had to fix the problem before it got worse. So I stole. My financial problems were temporarily fixed, but I felt so guilty for my actions. I just waited for the day that I would get caught. I was so scared. The fear became so much that I started taking sleeping pills. I just wanted to sleep; as long as I was asleep I didn’t live in fear, and I didn’t have to feel the guilt. On Sept. 6, 2007, I was taken to the hospital for what was called an apparent suicide attempt. I didn’t want to live this way anymore. I was also arrested for my crimes that day. On this day I slowly began telling the truth.

I was sitting in a jail cell the first time I heard the voice of the Lord. I remember hearing him tell me to talk to him, to pray. My response was, “I am not getting down on my knees and praying.” I thought in order to pray I had to be on my knees.

I walked into that place a believer. I was like a clinging child on Christ leg. Fortunately, I spent the next year growing and loving Jesus. I was in the word every day, attending services, and surrounding myself around other believers.

Over the next few weeks I could still hear his quite voice in my heart – he never went away and he never gave up.

I went to court on Nov. 27, 2007 asking for a year and was sentenced to two years, two months. On May 21 of that year, I was accepted in to a drug and alcohol program, which reduced my sentence. I was released on Nov. 19, 2008. Eleven days shy of my one year mark.

I went to a Sunday service at the jail, and it was lead by a Sunday school teacher who would come in and sing children songs to the women. Her final song was “Amazing Grace.” As I sat there listening to that song, my heart opened, and the only thing I could say was, “I am sorry.” On that day I took accountability for my actions, and finally asked the Lord for help. I wanted to change, but I didn’t know how, since I was in jail awaiting a sentence. I knew that I wanted something different. Two days later by the grace of God, I was sent home on house arrest. I was fortunate to spend two months on house arrest. I was fighting a prison sentence, and searching for the truth. Limited on what I was allowed to do, my time on house arrest wasn’t easy. But my life changed the day that I walked into West Salem Foursquare. I was never much a church person. In fact I couldn’t remember the last time I went to church. But when I walked into West Salem Foursquare, I knew I was home. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at the first service I attended. I wanted what the pastor so beautifully spoke of. From that day forward I have never been the same. In the weeks following, I met some very important and special people, who not only showed me God’s love and forgiveness, but they also showed me the truth. On Nov. 29, 2007, I was sentenced to 26 months of prison. On Nov. 30, I walked into Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, more terrified and confused than I have ever been. How was I ever going to survive this? I am not a criminal, I just made some really poor decisions; or as Robert put it, some stupid, stupid, stupid decisions.

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by Stefany Camenisch

That year in prison, allowed me to find out who I really am, to get to know the Lord, and trust in him. I walked by faith every day of my time away, and I still do. Today I can say that I am honest and true to whom I am. Life since being home has not always been easy, but it’s definitely beautiful. The Lord has been faithful to me. I am home with my family, who not only supports and encourages me, but also loves me and has forgiven me. I am rebuilding my relationship with my son – the Lord has shown me how to be the mother I am supposed to be. I can look anyone in the eye today and be truthful. I am who I am today by the Gods’ love and grace. Stefany Camenisch is thankful for God’s love and redeeming grace. She attends church at West Salem Foursquare and welcomes you to read her thoughts on her blog at www.stefanysthoughts.blogspot.com.

special guests

Carlos & Emily Sarmiento

Directors, Orlando House of Prayer

limited registation

to arise and take their place on the wall all throughout the Northwest. We are asking God for 10,000 intercessors to ďŹ ll 10 houses of prayer established, emerging, or not yet born, throughout the Northwest from Alaska to Redding, California and from Salem, Oregon to Boise, Idaho. -

Ben & Brigit Dixon

Mill Creek Foursquare in Lynnwood, WA

BURNSHINE exists to be a conduit for that call to ring out like a trumpet blast throughout the Northwest. Come join us in joining with Lord to see His Kingdom come and His will done in the Northwest as it is in heaven!

www.burnshine.com

Isolated ~ Fearful ~ Confused For those with unwanted homosexual desires, who are also trying to pursue after God, these feelings have a distinct and significant presence. For pastors and ministry leaders, knowing how to support these individuals is equally difficult.

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Mid-Valley Fellowship is a local Christian organization that presents a message of freedom from homosexual desire and behavior. We offer support to individuals, churches, and those facing the reality of a homosexual friend or family member.

All communication with Mid-Valley Fellowship is confidential. 541.928.2164 y www.midvalleyfellowship.org y support@midvalleyfellowship.org

the least of these I went to a memorial service a couple weeks ago for the passing of my Sister-in-law’s grandson, Christian. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was reminded of all the men in our prison ministry. Christian had been born with a significant portion of his brain missing as well as a host of other issues. It was uncertain if he would live a year. The doctors have said that children with his condition don’t make it past 10 years. Christian blessed this earth for 10 years. I was surprised that the chapel was filled to capacity with faces I had never seen. The minister gave one of the simplest yet most beautiful declarations of the gospel I had ever heard, with the complete blessing of the family. His text was from John 14, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” He then asked if anyone would like to say a few words about Christian. I wondered if I should say anything, but what? I had never known much of Christian other than seeing him in the custom wheel chair that kept him slightly horizontal and supported his head. He would make noises I could not understand, and would occasionally look at me and all around with a wandering eye. I would try to talk to him, knowing that he could hear. The most I knew about this boy was from watching those who served him, especially his grandmother. From the day Christian was born, she took it upon herself to take the best care of him you could imagine. He was always dressed and clean, sported eyeglasses for his vision, and always had a good haircut. She would have constant conversations with him in front of us all, just like she was talking to you or me. And she would talk about him to others just like any other boy full of mischief. She did all this while constantly opening her home, serving us all with the best of food and company. I learned more from watching her than I have in a hundred sermons.

It did not take long for those in mourning to come forward to speak. His Father, through his tears, said “He was the perfect human, never told a lie or hated anyone. I wish I could have been more like him.” His mother (whom I am convinced Christian was a gift from the Lord to save her life), showed such great composure and strength as she spoke – I was surprised and very encouraged. And then, one by one, people stood up to tell of Christian’s impact on their world. A teacher (public school) talked about how all the other kids were so very blessed to see the joy and strength of Christian each day, and how they were able to serve him and see beyond themselves. The therapist stood to mention much of the same. But I absolutely lost it and started to weep when the bus driver stood up. To realize what an impact this boy had on that man. The honor of being able to serve the “least of these” became a treasure in this man’s life that no gold could match. As the service came to a close, I noticed his coffin, full of all his companions. Kermit and Elmo were on the top of a loving mound of reminders of what this boy loved. A final song was played, and I tried to keep my laugh from being too loud as we listened to the Smashing Pumpkins version of “Landslide.” I thought to myself, “Yes, this is the real Christian, a 10 year old rambunctious boy on his skate board with torn jeans listening to punk rock.” I can see him now skate boarding on the greatest half-pipe in the universe made for him by our loving Father. At the graveyard, as we were preparing to leave, I overheard his grandmother say that she should get back and prepare food for everyone, followed by a gentle rebuke of a family member that she always serves everyone else. That was so true. My wife and I with a few others went back to her house to try and help clean and set the food up. But despite everyone’s efforts, she could not help herself making sure we were all enjoying ourselves. I learned some very important things that day. Our service defines who we are, it shapes our character. And the least of these are not a burden, but a holy gift from the Lord to bring out His beloved Son in us through our service. I kept thinking of that bus driver and how blessed he was. What a contrast to the rest of

30_RETHINK MONTHLY

by Danny Gette

the world, who want so much to hide the weak – through abortion, institutions, incarceration, or just plain purposeful ignorance. The people at that memorial service embraced this child, never ashamed, never apologetic, and never more worried about the burden placed on them or the sacrifices they made in life. I could see Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, and I think I got the point, maybe for the first time. You may ask, “What does this have to do with prison ministry?” I am firmly convinced that in America, we so desire to be a white washed tomb that we sweep anyone we don’t like under the rug – to hide from view. I know these men have done bad things and many need to be locked up to protect society. But by and large, these are souls who have become the “least of these” as all dignity and the stuff that makes a man have been stripped from them. These are men that Jesus loves as much as He loves Christian, and it should be our privilege to serve them as well. Johnny Cash sang that one of the reasons he wore black was for the prisoner who had done well past his time. I can attest that my Christian life did not begin until I began to serve them. Has your Christian life begun? Are you avoiding the “inconvenience” of serving the homeless, the single mom, the pregnant teenager, the lost child, the ex-con, and the disabled? May I suggest you spend some time reading Matthew 25 and John 13? Pray that God will show you where to serve. Commit to Him the surrender of your life to serve Him. I promise He will answer that prayer. I promise you the joy promised in John 15:11. I am confident in this because He is faithful. I am looking forward to spending some time on Christian’s heavenly half-pipe. Danny Gette is a prison minister in Salem OR. He passionately believes in and teaches the complete transformation provided through the redemptive power of the Cross. When not in the prison, he loves spending time with his family and church. Find out more at www.psalm119ministry.blogspot.com.

You’re invited to join us at Eagle Cove Camp on Triangle Lake in Blachly, Oregon as we experience God in a powerful way this summer. Discover how to live out our faith in Christ in everyday life at Bible Center Fellowship’s Summer Youth Camp for students in 7th through 12th grade. Swimming, paintball and other outdoor recreation acitivies, awesome praise and worship, powerful teaching from gifted speakers, ﬁre circles, morning workshops, nature hikes, open forum discussions, and so much more. Registration is only $145 per student

Which includes the cost for paintball and other activities

Registration forms & fees are due no later than August 1st. Call or email Mike Yoder for more details or to sign up. 503-949-4566 | mike@saltyouth.org

SALT IS THE STUDENT MINISTRY OF BIBLE CENTER FELLOWSHIP IN SALEM, OREGON | WWW.SALTYOUTH.ORG

the all-new

coming in August 2009