agri.church

One resource we’ve been using for our series on relationships is a book by John Ortberg called Everybody’s Normal Till You Get to Know Them. It’s a great book on relationships - a book that has both depth and approachability. Might be worth a read…

While Blood Diamond is (obviously) about conflict diamonds, it also tells us a little about the disturbing and unjust way in which children are recruited and used as soldiers (estimates place the number of children soldiers at around 200,000 in Africa).

Invisible Children is a film that centers around these children.  It is both interesting (it’s made by a group of teenagers with a home video camera) and compelling.  We have a DVD copy here at the Branch that we would love to loan out - just shoot us an e-mail.

The last movie in our “Gospel According to Hollywood” series is Blood Diamond. This film tells the story of the civil war in Sierra Leone in the late 1990’s. This war was largely fought over the control of the country’s diamonds and caused unspeakable human suffering and loss. Here are some resources to check out either before or after you watch the film.

Here’s a quick history on the Sierra Leone civil war.

People allegedly involved in the conflict are currently being brought to trial on war crimes and crimes against humanity. One person in particular - Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia - made the news yesterday. Yahoo News Story

What is a blood diamond? Global Witness

What, if anything, can we do about blood diamonds? Blood Diamond Action Conflict Free Diamonds

Last week I found myself in an interesting conversation. I was telling someone about the current series we’re in (The Gospel According to Hollywood) in which we’re watching and discussing four movies. The person I was talking with was shocked and perhaps even appalled that we would do something like this. They said, “Movies are a complete twisting of truth - Hollywood’s distorted version of reality and we definitely don’t need more of that in the church.”

In a way, I agreed. The body of Christ does not need, and should not incorporate things that are not true. But he went on.

“Long ago I decided to not watch movies - to stay away from them altogether.”

Christians have often chosen one of two paths when faced with the messages and mediums of culture. One response is to wage war by declaring all ‘non-Christian’ music - film - art - etc. as the enemy and doing everything possible to annihilate it. A second response is to retreat - to run away from the messages and mediums of culture. The belief here is that by avoiding it, we’ll remain pure. I don’t think that either of these choices are best. But, there’s a third option: engaging and transforming culture.

I believe that God calls us to meet culture where it is at and then do two things. The first thing we do is claim the parts of our culture that are true and beautiful as coming from God. The Scriptures tell us that God is the giver of every good gift, no matter where it is found, and we need to celebrate this truth. We need to point people back to this foundational reality. Truth doesn’t come from Hollywood. It doesn’t come from an Academy-award-winning actor. It comes from God.

The second thing we do as we engage culture is partner with God to redeem it. If there are parts of our culture that are promoting hate we, as God’s people, call these parts out and hold them up against God’s love. If there are parts of our culture that are fueling injustice we, as God’s people, need to take a stand and work to establish God’s justice. If there are parts of a movie that tell a story contrary to the story God is writing, we point people back to what is true.

Now, I will admit, engaging culture is a whole lot messier than waging war and retreating. But the last two options do little to usher in the Kingdom. And this is what God is always calling us to - to be used by Him to spread love and truth which will change the world.

I didn’t know I had so much to say Maybe you do too. Please feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

This morning, at our Ash Wednesday service, we all grabbed a handful of dirt as a way of symbolizing the things we hold on to in life. And as I was sitting there, I began to feel my hand throb with my pulse. Was I holding the dirt that tightly? It was as if my very blood was flowing into and around that dirt.  It was becoming a part of me. I was so thankful for this morning - a chance to let go of that dirt - to break free - to claim God’s love and grace. (We’re having a repeat of this morning’s experience tonight from 7-7:30PM)

This Sunday I won’t have time to talk about this part of Mark 8 so I wanted to mention it here. Jesus has just fed 4000 people (the 2nd miraculous feeding of a massive crowd) and he is leaving to cross over to the region of Dalmanutha. When the Pharisees hear that he has arrived, they…

“came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.”

Why was Jesus so frustrated? I don’t think it was because the Pharisees’ struggled to believe. Jesus seems to have enormous patience with the those in the Gospels that are slow to get it (the disciples are a case in point). I think that Jesus is so frustrated because the Pharisees were making their belief conditional. “We’ll believe you, Jesus, if…”

Does this ring true to your experience? It does to mine. I’ve demanded lots over the course of my walk with God. Sometimes it has been a demand for the miraculous - sometimes for the mundane. “God, if you do _ then I’ll believe.” “If you tell me _ then I’ll obey.”

As we see later in this chapter Jesus’ call to follow him is anything but conditional - it’s not demanding or forging our own way. It’s following the Master.

Does this ring true to your experience?

first off, as Chris emailed, I am planning on a blog or video about Mark 6, however after Maya woke up yesterday with bad hives over 100% of her little body, a trip the emergency room, and trying to catch a play or two of the big game… well… I’ll get around to it

something else has captured my imagination this morning though. I recently saw the new commercials that Kleenex company is running under the tagline “let it out…” take a look see:

every time I watch it, I want to jump up and scream, “BRILLIANT”! that is, after I get around to wiping the tears out of my eyes with off-brand… um… tissues. I think that the advert company has hit a home run here by tapping into a deep deep deficiency in our ‘modern’ lives. we as human beings have a deep need to have someone listen to and affirm our stories. we need someone to care.

so, I’m already starting to dream of a saturday when we grab one or two of our IKEA couches and plop them down at a busy intersection and just offer to listen to people’s stories! can you imagine? I can… and I think their right, we’ll probably need a box of kleenex…

one more thing, the Branch has formed a team of elders (we’ll introduce them during worship real soon). one of main tasks for this team is to be just such a listening presence in our community. so perhaps you are reading this or just watched that advert and your saying to yourself, “I wish someone would listen to my story”. well, we’re here to listen. all it takes is a word, an email or a phone call… you could start by shooting me (andy {@} thebranchonline.org) or Chris (chris {@} thebranchonline.org) an email… let it out!

Over the past few days I’ve received a number of e-mails about Sunday’s message on Mark 5 and I’ve loved every one of them. They have challenged and encouraged me to go back to the text - expectant of what God still has to teach me. I know that I speak for Andy when I say that we are so grateful as you engage us in conversation. Don’t stop!!!

One of the people that had e-mailed me pointed out something that I wanted to share with you. As she was looking at the end of Mark 4 and Mark 5 she noticed that in three of the four stories the characters get what they want in the end - Jesus calms the waters and wind, the woman is healed of a 12 year disease, and Jairus’ daughter is raised from the dead. And while all of this is nice and good - she pointed out that life doesn’t always work out so cleanly. Storms rage on. People remain sick. Children die. And she’s right. Even when we surrender our fears to Jesus, our problems don’t always go away.

Which leads to a hugely important question: are you willing to surrender your life and turn over your fears even if you don’t get what you want? To quote the e-mail I received, “are we willing to be changed even if our situation doesn’t?”

This question is at the heart of our walk with Jesus, and one we must all answer for ourselves. Why do we surrender to Jesus? Why do we follow him? Why do we give him lordship over our lives? Is it so that we’ll get what we want in the end?

Jesus invites us to follow him not because doing so gets us what we want or punches our ticket to heaven. Jesus invites us to follow him simply because he loves us and wants us to know life to the fullest.

Ok. Keep the e-mails coming. I’m going to spend some time thinking through these questions right now. I invite you to join me.

We’re in Mark 5 this week. About half way through the chapter a massive crowd has (again) gathered around Jesus. They have heard the things he has been doing and saying and so they come - either out of curiousity or need - they come. It is in the midst of all this noise and commotion that a man by the name of Jarius falls at Jesus’ feet. His daughter is dying and he needs Jesus to come to his home to heal her. Jesus agrees and immediately they leave. While they are on their way some people from Jarius’ home arrive with the worst news. His daughter is dead. No need to bother the teacher now, they say. It’s too late.

But Jesus turns to Jarius and says: “Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

If I had been Jarius I’m not sure if I would have been able to do that. Out of all the voices in my head, I’m not sure I could have believed the one voice that sounded different from all the rest. Would you have been able to?

I mean, the people who delivered the news were likely Jarius’ friends or family. Why would they lie to him about this? Exactly - they wouldn’t. She was dead. This was no joking matter. And then when they reach his home, all those who are gathered are wailing and weeping. Why? Because she is dead. There was nothing to argue about - nothing to do. It was over.

“Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

Today, I invite you to ask these questions with me: who am I listening to?

Whose voice has my ear?

Do I believe Jesus’ words to me, even if they sound different from all the rest?