Still At It With Faithful Eyes

Heard some staggering statistics yesterday. In South Carolina 50% of the births are to unwed mothers. In Sumter County, the percentage rises to nearly 70%! What? And what is equally amazing is where I heard the figures - in a happenstance visit with an obstetrician who probably is in her late 70's, and yet who is mounting her own campaign to address this social delimna.

In retrospect, I don't know which had more of an impact on me, the high number of children growing up without a father figure, or the social concern of Dr. B. As for the first, Dr. B. says we talk about a lot of social issues, truancy, gangs, high cime rate, number of males in prison, number of children living in poverty, etc., but we don't talk about the etiology (the causes), because it isn't politically correct. The truth is that we need to put emphasis and incentives into encouraging and preserving stable families. She recommended a 1995 book by David Blankenhorn, Jr. titled Fatherless America (which I have ordered.) How do yo even begin to address this?

Now, for the greater impact, this successful doctor, well into retirement, has a heart for "the least of these." She spoke to a state newspaper reporter about all this and the reporter questioned her statistics. So she went to the state agencies and researched it on her own. She's spoken to several representatives and state senators, and even the governor, trying to highlight the concern. And locally she has been connecting with male African American role models who "can give her insight to the causes."

I left that chance encounter inspired. I personally am not feeling like Elijah, who in his depression complained to the Lord "The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword, and I am the only one left." (1 Kings 19). But I did think of the Lord's response to Elijah, reminding him that thousands were still faithful. And I thought of Dr. B. as one of God's thousands, with faithful eyes to see what Christ might see, an open heart to care, a sharp mind to seek truth and answers, and the courage to believe she can make a difference. In many amazing ways the Kingdom of God is in the midst of us.

An Icon of Hope

The death this week of Alexander Solzhenitsyn brought to mind teenage memories. For me, he was an early icon of resistance and courage, of human will rising above circumstance. My only access to his world was through his book, the Gulag Archipelago, which described the harsh injustices of the Stalin-era labor camps and secret prisons that stretched across Russia like a string of "islands" (the archipelago).

As ponderous as the book was, I could not stop reading it. Why it captured my imagination so at that age I am not sure now. I sure that the "mystery" status of the Soviet Union in the 1970's was part of it. This was long before Reagan labeled Russia "the evil empire," but the threat of our nuclear enemy was very public - even in small town South Carolina. Plus the theme of resistance against oppressive structures, especially at personal risk, is one that just naturally fits with the teen mindset. The frequent struggle then is "What cause will I take up? or What significance will my life make?" Well, I really don't know whether others have those questions, but I do remember a feeling of standing in the doorway to the "world" and wondering which way to go, and, would I find a path.

While in the gulag (prison) Solzhenitsyn wrote portions of his book in his mind, and memorized what he "wrote," so that 1) written evidence would not be found, and 2) he would have it for later publication. That still amazes me, not simply for the mental ability it reveals, but more so for the hope, trust, yes even "faith" in the future it evidences. Why commit to such mental toil unless you truly believe that one day you will be free, and you will be heard?

Survival depends on the evidence of things unseen, a hope or faith that one day there will be a "reversal." Jesus brought such hope to the powerless of Palestine, the cast-offs of society who were forever on the receiving end of exploitation. His first sermon in Nazareth of fulfilling the "day of the Lord" was an announcement of reversals his hearers could not yet see. Some believed in hope, others refused it for fear of what they would lose.

In my teen years I had first-hand evidence of hope and of resistance to reversals. My father was sent as a superintendent of public schools to the small town we lived with the task of integrating the school system. We were not welcomed there, especially when the community leaders realized my dad believed in respect to everyone and fairness for all, regardless of one's race or status. Yet Dad succeeded in his task, I believe because he had such a strong personal faith - a conviction that "right" could and would prevail. Some day I may blog a story or two of that struggle, but for now it is enough to say that a single individual, possessed with a firm faith, can be the catalyst that transforms individuals, structures, and the world.

Farewell Solzhenitsyn, and thank you.

An 80 Percenter way of life

Not long ago I came across a quote by Yvon Chouinard that I think resonates well with those of us who have perfectionistic tendencies, you know, that persistent urge to keep pressing on until it's "just right." It's the 80 Percent Rule (hat tip to Thommy Browne at Artifacts)

“I’ve always thought of myself as an 80 percenter. I like to throw myself
passionately into a sport or activity until I reach an 80 percent proficiency
level. To go beyond that requires an obsession and degree of specialization that
doesn’t appeal to me.”

I think the 80 percent rule has a lot of application in ministry. The various skill groups demanded of a pastor require proficiency but because there are so many, it hinders mastery. And we just have to accept the fact that doing the job well calls for being an 80 Percenter.

And it isn't just skills, it also applies to particular projects and expectations. In a day when we have created appetities for "the best" (the best graphics and media, the best sound on our ipods and boise headphones, the best bodies, teeth, and hair, the best in education, and the best in what the church can offer, etc. etc.) is there still a place for the "good enough?"

A World Without Cool

Ever been enticed to keep up with the latest "cool" thing? Ever had a child worry about whether their clothes, or more critically, their presence at some event, would come across as "cool" or not? Of course you have. Ever had your church feel the pressure to imitate the latest "cool" event another church has? We live in an ever-changing world of "cool-ness," that keeps us unsettled, unsatisfied, unhappy, and always looking for what's out there. It's a climate perfect for those ready to market and sell us on the next best thing.

The other day I read Ariah Fine's blogpost This Is How It All Begins about Adbusters Magazine
and their "anti-cool" issue. His post shows an ad with the following quote:

“I want to live in a world where nothing is cool, where things actually are as they appear. That would be extraordinary. I want food and a living environment
that are not part of some suit’s strategic vision. Cool has betrayed all of us. I want reality.” - Jessica Masse, Maine, USA

I'm sure the reality Jessica wants is not the stuff of made-for-TV reality shows. But what is it? Is it the non-packaged, or marketed, authenticity of life? How can the church offer its authenticity in a commercialized world of "cool-ness?" And, more importantly, does the church remember how to offer the message of redemption in a world without cool?

The church was not designed for a “consumer” oriented world. Ever since we basically allowed ourselves to be defined as consumers, it has required an adaptation to make the relationships and nature of the church apply. Some churches have done well, finding ways to make trade-offs, and sometimes force-fitting the life of faith into the world of the market. They continually keep up with cool, and they have enjoyed acclaimed success for their efforts.

There's a large group of churches that are so turned-inward that they pay little heed to relating to the world. And then there are a few who circle up the wagons and see themselves as an alternative to the world. They define themselves by exclusiveness.

I think most, however, fall in between the extremes, not sure how much to adapt, or how much to compromise, and end up simply looking for something that “works.” They don't expect to lead the way in the church coolness factor, but they do like to show up at the party. So we try to relate to the world by keeping up with the latest jargon, incorporating the latest visuals and songs in worship, going for the trendiest materials from the publishing houses, and doing whatever else we can think of to show the world we're trying to reach that "we're players in the game (of coolness.)"

You think I jest? In just about any town you can find homes where the family chose to join a certain church because it's the coolest one in town. They like having the church's logo on their car and clothing, to show others they know how to be at the "right" place. Nothing wrong with them enjoying the cool events being offered, but you quickly get the feeling that church is just another piece in the family's/individual's "coolness" ensemble.

So, what would "church" look like in a world without "cool?" What would happen if we determined to relate to the world through service rather than trends? What if we put down the cool, and took up the cross?

Unbelievable, Bush OK's Waterboarding

How can waterboarding not be called torture? And how can President Bush veto a bill that would prohibit it? The news yesterday evening surprised and angered me. You may say I am naive about our "war on terror," and you'd probably be right. But if you become like the enemy to defeat the enemy, then why fight the enemy? I read a couple of news reports, like CNN's, just to make sure I heard it right.

"The bill Congress sent me would take away one of the most valuable tools in the
war on terror," the president said in his weekly radio address taped for
broadcast Saturday. "So today I vetoed it." The bill provides guidelines for
intelligence activities for the year and includes the interrogation requirement.
It passed the House in December and the Senate last
month. -per the CBS News article, Bush Vetoes Bill Banning Torture

This past weekend we watched the movie Rendition, about a suspect sent secretly to Egypt for interrogation. The movie has a scene that depicts waterboarding. That will get your attention. On what moral grounds do we stand when we oppose terrorism and torture and yet condone this practice? I have no answers, just feeling to need to be another voice in the wilderness.