Category Archives: Current Events

Church History, Current Events

Embracing The New Year

celtic-crossA new year is upon us, beckoning us to embrace life with all its changes and mysteries.  This day, as an old Scottish New Year prayer says, is a “new day that has never been before.” And as a new day, let us embrace the newness of it and set our eyes ahead towards the rising sun.

The Lord Jesus is in our midst, walking with us and beckoning forward on His mission. The old year along with the old junk of our lives – our failures, mistakes, pains, sorrows, bitterness, and tears – have been laid at the foot of the cross and we are now new beings, washed pure by His light (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Let us, therefore, stand tall as sons and daughter of the Most High (Romans 8:14-17) and march forward together as one body under the leadership of Jesus, the King of Kings and Prince of Peace.

Christ has many services to be done;

Some are easy, others are difficult;

Some bring honor, others bring reproach;

Some are suitable to our natural

Inclinations and temporal interest,

Others are contrary to both.

In some we may please Christ and please ourselves,

In others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.

Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us.

 

Therefore let us make the Covenant of God our own.

Let us engage our heart to the Lord,

And resolve in His strength never to go back!

 (Section of an old Celtic New Year covenant service)

Church History, Current Events

An old Scottish Prayer for the New Year

open-door-eric-foltzThis day is a new day that has never been before.

This year is a new year, the opening door.

Enter, Lord Christ – we have joy in your coming,

You have given us life; and we welcome your coming.

I turn now to face You, I lift up my eyes.

Be blessing my face, Lord; be blessing my eyes.

May all my eyes looks on be blessed and be bright, my neighbors, my loved ones, be blessed in Your slight.

You have given us life and we welcome Your coming.

Be with us, Lord, we have joy, we have joy.

This year is a new year, the opening door.

Be with us, Lord, we have joy, we have joy.

Current Events, Vineyard Movement, World Missions

Vineyard Bantayan Relief Mission

typhoon HaiyanBelow is an update from the Vineyard Cebu regarding their prayer concerns regarding their outreach to northern Cebu island communities and Bantayan island, which was severely hit by the super typhoon. Be sure to check out their video at the very bottom of this post. If anyone wants to partner with them directly, let me know and I will connect you.

Additionally, Vineyard USA is working with Convoy of Hope to care for the people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Convoy of Hope has shipping containers of food and supplies en route to the Philippines, to be followed by containers of hygiene kits, canned goods and fruit pouches. 100 water filtration units will arrive in the country with their second relief team. I can’t help but think the shipping containers could be useful for those affected by Typhoon Haiyan, even once the contents have been emptied. Many companies are using shipping containers to build things like homes nowadays – you can see how by clicking here – and that would surely be useful for the people who have had their homes destroyed. Maybe this is something they could explore futher.

Your financial support is vital to their response. To assist with a donation, please click here.

Letter from the Vineyard Cebu:

Grateful for:

  1. God’s love, mercy & faithfulness – thus far, none of the family members/relatives from the Team has suffered loss of life. Everyone is alive!
  2. God’s provision & generosity & His people’s care & generosity as well. There has been an outpouring of provision in every way, financially many have shared as well. We are thankful that we can move/act quickly & be able to bring these to families.
  3. His promises & Word- ever since these tragedies- earthquake, then tornado (Mandaue City, but near us), & super typhoon there has been much sadness- but we have been really receiving beautiful promises from His word, & beautiful prophecies for the Filipinos & the islands.
  4. The children are doing well. And it is good in spite of the circumstances, they are blossoming in school & at home.
  5. Trips to Indonesia & also in Manila have been very good- His work is deep & wonderful- both an honour & privilege.

Continue reading Vineyard Bantayan Relief Mission →

Current Events

Pope Francis and the Child

pope and child 2When I saw the picture to the right of a child hugging Pope Francis in front of thousands, I, like many others, couldn’t help but smile. I also was very proud of Pope Francis as he did not try to push the child away or yell at him – something a lot of other important folks would do.

Instead, he smiled loving down at the child, gently pats his head and continue on with his speech as if nothing was happening.

That, my friends, is a picture of Jesus.

Children are a blessing from the Most High and, contrary to most of the world today, are not to be ignored or pushed away. They are to hugged and loved.

Yes, there are times when a child needs to learn to be still and not interrupt. However, there are other times when we should stop being so stuffy and just enjoy the love of a child.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” -Matthew 19:14

Current Events

Understanding Syria and Its History

carl-medearisSyria is the talk of the nation right. It is everywhere.

In fact tonight the US president is going to address the nation in a bid to convince folks that the US should start bombing Syria. An action, which for the record, I disagree with as I’m becoming more and more of pacifist….

Yet in all the noise about Syria, some things get lost. Things that should not get lost. Things like history. People. Culture. Concepts and the like.

To help us remember these things, I would like to highlight two post by Carl Medearis about Syria. Carl is an outstanding follower of Jesus as well as an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations. He is also the author of two books I really, really like (“Speaking of Jesus” and “Muslims, Christians and Jesus”) – not to mention that he is friends with a some folks I highly respect (i.e. Dr. Rick Love, Jay Pathak among others).

In other words, Carl is one of the few voices I trust when it comes to talking about the Middle East – hence this post highlighting his most recent post about Syria.

Post 1: “Understanding Syria. And what do we do now?”

Summary:

Carl outlines eight basic facts about Syria that most folks don’t know about. Things like how Syria is 23 million people with a lot of different tribes and sects, making the internal politics very confusing. Also how the US interests in Syria has to do less with chemical weapons and more with de-arming the Hezbollah who gets their support from Iran through Syria.

Quote:

It’s an internal struggle for the heart and soul of Syria – that (as painful as it is to watch) is Syria’s to figure out. Stepping in when we don’t understand what we’re stepping into will only increase the pain and prolong the struggle.

As people who follow the way of Jesus – we can pray. And fast. And do what we can to serve the horrendous humanitarian crisis unfolding in Lebanon and Jordan with Syrian refugees. Now may be the time to serve them in the name of Jesus with open heart and hands.

So we are not passive. We should act. Just choose your actions wisely. The Syrians on the borders are waiting for our help.

Post 2: “Syria. Why history matters.”

Summary:

In this post, Carl gives a brief historical overview of Syria – highlighting the fact that ignorance of history can lead to grave mistakes that could endanger or kill people. He also points out some cool facts about Syria like how oldest church building in the world is found in Syria. Or how Muslims and Christians have typically lived in peace in Syria for years.

Quote:

We love Syria. We love the Syrian people. They are a vibrant energetic wonderful collage of God-created human beings. And if we’re going to bomb them – any of them – we should at least know who “they” are. Otherwise we’re tempted to think that “those bad people” who are 7000 miles away (from Denver) aren’t really humans. Just like us. Who eat, breathe, love, get angry, want to reconcile – but don’t know how – and are created in the same image we all are – God’s. “They,” are in fact, “us.”

Current Events

Rock’n Emmett With Brokenness

emmett national day of prayer rallyI failed to mention one important thing yesterday…the catalyst to my post about the National Day of Prayer was my involvement with a National Day of Prayer rally in Emmett (the country seat of my area). This rally was hosted by the Gem County Ministerial Association (i.e. a group of local pastors in the area) and was held in the park across the street from the county courthouse.

I got involved in the rally through some friends who asked me to play the bass guitar with them at the rally. Being a musician, I couldn’t say no (besides, it was a blast jamming with a worship band outside my church – no responsibilities or pastoring duties, just show up and play!)

Yet…I was nervous about the whole thing due to my love-hate relationship with the theme of the rally…. hence my post…

Only I was very, very surprised last night….

Instead of being political charged, the rally was full of brokenness, humility and love.

The event started out with worship before transitioning into a series of prayer sessions on different topics lead by various local pastors and community leaders. And when I say “prayer sessions”, I mean “prayer sessions.” These gentlemen didn’t use their platform for propaganda or self-promotion. They prayed. They truly prayed.

It was amazing to watch…. I mean, two of these guys had their church buildings set on fire last weekend and yet here they were crying out to God for more of His presence. Another one, who was introduced to Jesus while in the military, was crying – almost literally – over the new rules the Pentagon is considering…

Brokenness.

Just like the Psalmist of old said:

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.
-Psalm 51:17

Yeah…it was a powerful evening capped off by more worship in which the saints of Gem County poured out their hearts to the King of Kings.

Thank you Lord for your people.

Book Reviews, Current Events, Theology Thoughts

Hating and Loving The National Day of Prayer

3 Comments

day of prayerI have a confession to make… I, as a follower of Jesus and a pastor, have love-hate relationship with the National Day of Prayer… I know that believers and pastors all over this country are making a big deal about this day… especially has it happened to land a few weeks after the Boston bombings and a day after the news broke that the Pentagon is thinking about stopping soldiers from sharing their religious beliefs.

Yet…yet…yet…. Sigh….

Part of me knows that anytime folks gather together in prayer it is a good thing… I also know that followers of Jesus are to love and bless everyone around them: their family, friends, enemies, leaders, co-workers, and anyone in-between.

Yet on the other side I really, really, really dislike the way in patriotism for one’s country has embedded itself into Christianity. Sadly enough in some places patriotism and Christianity merged together so much that to talk bad about one’s country is an insult against God and vis a versa. Oh, by the way the USA is not the only place where this has happened. History tells us of many, many countries where this mis-view of the following Jesus has gained control.

The simple fact remains that there has never been a “Christian nation” on planet earth.

Yes, there have been nations who have based some of their laws or customs on principles found in the Bible – but that does not make them a “Christian nation.”

To be a “Christian” is to give yourself 100% to Jesus the Christ. It is follow His example in all things. It is to love and forgive your enemies – to turn the other check; to heal the sick; preach that the Kingdom of God is at hand; it is to die so that others may live. And, well, quite frankly, there has never been a nation or a government that has embodied the character and actions of Jesus.

Continue reading Hating and Loving The National Day of Prayer →

Current Events, General

They Were Just Doing Their Job

Earlier today a new piece of art was unveiled on the side of a building in the London Bridge area of London, UK. At first folks thought that the new piece was a Banksy as it shared his style, but that has proven false due to a statement by Banksy’s PR folks.

Regardless of who painted it, the art piece itself still shares a powerful message just in time for Easter.

The panting, which you all can see below, shows a fairly famous scene in the life of Jesus – one displayed in churches and homes across the globe. It shows Jesus carrying his cross towards the Place of a Skull while being beaten by the officials and laughed at by onlookers.

The only difference between the tradition paintings of this scene and new one is that the officials beating Jesus are UK police officers and the onlookers are modern day paparazzis. A small but powerful change…

You see, all too often we can dismiss the crucifixion of Jesus and the reaction of the people as something that happened long ago – years before our birth. We like to think that if we were there at that time, we would have stood up to the injustice of the time or at least ran away from the act as to not give our support….

Yet, how many of us stand idly by today watching acts of violence on CNN, FoxNews or the BBC? How many of us walk past the very people loved by Jesus – dismissing the homeless, the sick, the poor and the brokenhearted as some else’s problem?

How many of us cheered when we heard about the death of Osama bin Laden while forgetting Jesus’ commandment to love and bless our enemies? How many of us reject the call of the Holy Spirit because we want to live life on our own terms?

Perhaps we should paint our faces on the bodies of the paparazzis or the police officers, all of which were, after all, just doing their jobs…

station of the cross

Church History, Current Events

Pope Francis: Shaking Things Up

pope francisAs you all have no doubt heard via the mainline news stations, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina was elected as the 266th pope. His election to the office marks a HUGE shift in the Roman Catholic Church as he is the first pope from the New World. He is also the first Jesuit to be chosen as the pope in the 472 years of the Society of Jesus.

The great thing about Pope Francis is that he is a very humble man who chose to walk the streets of Buenos Aires and not to live in the fancy Archbishop residence therein. This choice to live humbly as already caused some difficulties with the Vatican security forces as they are used to popes riding in their bullet proof cars…

Pope Francis also decided to change the customary plans of the Vatican for the beginning of Easter. Instead of washing the feet of twelve retired priests in St John Lateran, Pope Francis has moved the mass to a juvenile prison in Rome where he will wash the feet of twelve inmates – included a few ladies, which is a statement in and of itself.

I don’t know what is store for the Roman Catholic community across the world – but so far I like this guy. He seems to walking the walk, loving the less-than and side-stepping the trappings of wealth and power.

Oh, one last comment before I end this post – the name of “Pope Francis”. Ever since Pope Lando’s reign in 913 AD, the serving pope has always chosen a name used by one of his predecessors. Instead of following this tradition, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose the name “Pope Francis” in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi who is known for his love of the poor and animals.

The name “Pope Francis” also carries with it undertones of one of the founders of the Jesuit society, Saint Francis Xavier. Saint Xavier was a missionary who spread the love of Jesus into India, Japan, Borneo and Moluccas during the 1500’s. He is famous for using the local languages and dressing according to the culture around him rather than trying to hold onto European customs.

Current Events

Pope Benedict XVI Resigns!!

Benedict XVIThis morning’s news has rendered me speechless as Pope Benedict XVI has announcement his resignation. This is the first time since 1415 AD that a pope has resigned the Chair of St. Peter.

In the announcement, Pope Benedict XVI stated that he had come to the “certainty” that he was no longer able to fully lead the Roman Catholic Church due to health issues:

“In today’s world subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of St. Peter and proclaim the gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me…”

“…For this reason and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom, I declare that I renounce the ministry of bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter.” 

Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to continue in his office until February 28th, when he will officially step down. The College of Cardinals will then seek a successor, hopefully electing a new pope before Easter (March 31st). May the Lord of Lords grant them wisdom in all that they do.