Archive for June, 2007

Heroes of Mine

June 6, 2007 at 1:29 pm · Filed under Musings

There are so many folks that are making major decisions and significant sacrifices in following the Lord in the vision he’s given us.  I would name names, but I don’t want to embarrass or dishonor anyone.  While I’m thinking of three specific guys right now, I can easily add another 6-8 other women and men who are being seriously challenged and encouraged in what it means to be a “follow me” disciple.   When I say “serious” I mean giving up jobs, moving, not taking jobs that would mean moving away, being “downwardly mobile” in income to stay close…  Things that make zero sense in a materialistic, consumer culture.  Things that if we use the American Dream as a standard of judgment are a nightmare. 

 I ran across the following passage from Dallas Willard who explains the significance of what people are doing better than I ever could.  He writes, “…one cannot be a disciple of Christ without forfeiting things normally sought in human life, and that one who pays little in the world’s coinage to bear his name has reason to wonder where he or she stands with God.  But the cost of nondiscipleship is far greater – even when this life alone is considered – than the price paid to walk with Jesus.

“Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil.  In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10).  The cross-shaped yolk of Christ is after all an instrument of liberation and power to those who live in it with him and learn the meekness and lowliness of heart that brings rest to the soul.” (Devotional Classics by Foster and Smith, p.16)

For those of you who are being faithful in midst of discipleship situations that are both perilous and terrifying on the one hand, yet at the same time are full of real life and meaning I just want to say how much I appreciate your example.  It gives me and the rest of our small community a greater strength to follow and an example of courage to emulate. 

You may think no one notices and that you are alone, but you are not.  You may not even feel like you have a choice.  That the Lord has cornered you.  Yet every time you have an easy out you don’t take it.  Every time you an opportunity to duck your head and go an easier way you don’t take the temptation.    The Lord sees.  We see.  He’s doing great things in and through you.  Thanks for being faithful to Him. 

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Chess Moves

June 1, 2007 at 4:54 pm · Filed under Adventures, Musings

In Acts 10 we read about the second Pentecost, how the Lord demonstrates that he is calling the Gentiles and not just the Jews by having the same outpouring as in Acts 2.  In the chapter we see the Lord calling Cornelius the Centurion, then talking with Peter.  Peter is amazed when he puts the timeline together, the vision, and the reality of what is going on (v.34-43). 

In November of 2006 I met a guy named Ray Gonzalez.  In talking about our multicultural vision he put me in touch with Dave Park.  In talking with Dave about needs for help in music ministry he put me in touch with Peter Choi, Jr.  In spending time with Dave and Peter I found friends whose hearts beat in rhythm with our vision.  I could listen and talk with these guys for hours.  I always come away refreshed and challenged. 

Peter shared a story yesterday that made me think of Acts 10 and God’s chess moves. 

Last week Peter and I went to Pearl Lane on the last day of the after-school program.  I wanted to see my guys before summer started, and Peter wanted to see the reality of what he hears me talking about all the time.  We drove into Chamblee.  I was giving directions and pointed out that Pearl Lane was just behind the big building that housed a Realtor and other business.  I talked with Peter about the area and the ministry and my desire to be able to office in or near Pearl lane so that I could really work in the neighborhood. 

Peter told me yesterday (almost a week to the day of going to Pearl Lane) that several months prior the folks he was working with to develop a new ministry had been given office space.  One of their cohort of visionaries had parents who owned a building and were willing to give them office space.  But the office looked out over some pretty unappealing low-income housing in run-down part of the city.  While the aesthetics were unappealing, the price was great – free.  Yet in the past several months they hadn’t taken advantage of the space.  It was sitting empty.  As it turns out the office was the office next door to Pearl Lane.  The office space, if I understood Peter correctly, looks out over Re Kim’s old house (see the post on chemo therapy and vacuum cleaners) and the ministry center. 

Peter said he didn’t say anything at Pearl Lane because he was too busy repenting for complaining about an office that overlooked such an ugly, forsaken place (my words not his).  Peter was amazed at the “slice of heaven” (his words) that he experienced in the chaos of the after-school program.  What we were both amazed about was the fact that the Lord was pulling our lives together before we ever knew each other existed and before we knew what we really wanted in ministry.  The Lord took these amazing visionaries (Peter, Dave, and the dozen other folks they are with) and brought our lives together in the Lord’s work .  They started with a specific vision for ministry only to see the Lord working in their lives without their knowing it or their consent in developing a ministry that was not exactly part of the original plan. 

One of my take-aways is that plans and visions are good and necessary. Just be sure that they have enough flexibility to respond to and follow God when he throws a wrench in the works.  I would have never talked with Ray without the crisis we were in (God changing the church’s direction).  I would have never talked with Dave about music ministry without a separate the crisis of loosing people.  I would have never invited Peter along except for the need for more help in an under-staffed after-school program.  Nowhere in my plans were the recruitment of talented, visionary Korean-Americans to partner with in ministry.  I’m sooo glad that God has better plans than I do! 

Our job is to obey as we go.  His job is to provide the vision, the means, and the resources to do what he is calling us to.  And he does so with abundance, delightful surprises, crisis, and dependence on him. 

Peace

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