Oscar and the Revolution

Did you watch the Oscars last night? Do you care about who wins or what movie gets best picture? I was one of about a billion people in the world who watched last night and to be honest I love the Academy Awards. I love them because I love movies...I love movies that have a point, that make me think, that express art and the beauty of humanity. I was really hoping that Babel would win best picture, but Departed was a great film in it's own right. I was excited that Forrest Whitaker (see him in Ghost Dog...The Way of the Samurai) won best actor for his very impressive role in the Last King of Scotland! I do have to admit that the "night at the Oscars" had me thinking once again about just how much we are surrounded by the influence of money, stuff, and beauty (when I say beauty I mean in the way of having a pretty face and a skinny body). Today the news of the day isn't about war or who's running for president, but rather who was a fashion hit and who was a miss. This truly saddens me...it makes me wonder just how much influece Hollywood and the media are having on us and particularly our youth. As Christ followers we're not at war with Hollywood as some would think or suggest, but we are in a revolution. A revolution that speaks of what true beauty is, and understands the life of contentment. This revolution can and is changing the world! Jesus said it would not be easy and very few would choose to follow him, but those who do will have the help of the Holy Spirit to give them wisdom in a world that is looking for Truth.
How do you want to revolutionize our community? What changes do you think you can bring? How can we work together to make these changes?

Love and Peace,
Rex

Talkin' Bout a Revolution Pt.2

How dangerous do you want to be? This was the question of the day today as John talked about the revolutionary ways Jesus established God's kingdom. It really is fascinating to take a closer look into how he communicated and lived against the political powers of Rome and Herod in particular. The power of their day set out to create a culture of threat...each and every day Jews were oppressed with threats. Threats create fear...fear over time leads people to isolation. This was the life of a common citizen in Jesus' day. Fear of Ceasar and his kingdom and isolation from the the relationship and life (kingdom) their God had created for them. Until Jesus began to fip things upside down... until he began to talk about a new kingdom...one that held no threats, but rather freedom, love and relationship.

The other day I drove past a church that had one of those traditional church signs out front near the street. You know that kind of sign I'm talking about...these church signs that always seem to have some catchy phrase on it ("come to church today and God will turn your frown up-side-down" I actually saw this once.). I hate these signs! They're cheesey, uneffective and sometimes threatening. This particular sign read, "The Kingdom of God is near...are you ready?". The problem I had with this sign is that it was used as a threat. I'm tired of pastors and churches using using God's Kingdom as a way to scare people into heaven! The fact is, the Kingdom of God is already here...Jesus brought this kingdom into effect and it has never left us! To make God's Kingdom sound like some sort of apocolyptic, repent or die kind of thing is wrong. It's wrong because that's a threat and threats create fear and isolation. When we enter into the revolution and give our lives to doing all we can to bring heaven to earth, there is no fear, there can be no isolation, because we're living lives that have been set free by the grace and mercy of God. So, if you we want to live dangerously for Jesus...get ready for freedom like you've never experienced before. Prepare for love and generosity that will change our homes and schools and workplace's. We can do this...God will help us...

I don't know about you but I think I want to be very, very dangerous!

Peace and Love,
Rex

Talkin' bout a Revolution...

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this whole idea of the spiritual revolution we're invited to join by Jesus. Have you thought much about it since Sunday? Were you thinking about it before? What does it mean to you to join this world-changing revolution? I was reading a book this morning about the ways in which all of humanity is deeply connected yet we live in a world that values individuality so much that we divide and rank ourselves according to what we look like or the standard of living we have. We convince ourselves of how different, better, and analike we are that we eventually become so disconnected to each other in the ways that God created us to live and abide. What happens next is that we in the church try and "create" community for everyone in order to bring us back into the right relationships God intened to exist. I'm beginning to see that when we give our lives to living the revolution with Jesus, that suddenly there are some incredible cool and spiritual things happening in us personally. I'm finding that we will begin to look upon this world and see it as ours...ours to protect, ours to love, ours to freely live in. We begin to see others (not just americans, but everyone) as people who are deeply connected and much alike to us. The scriptures tell us that God is the one "for whom and through whom everything exists". The revolution helps us become aware of the commonalities we have with everyone...so maybe we can't really create true community, maybe it's discovered. If the revolution Jesus lived was about bringing Heaven to earth (Kingdom of God) and it's the life he wants the church to live, than I'm certain that living in true community with people and seeing this world as ours is the greatest thing we can do to to bring Heaven to our world.

BTW...I recently saw a brilliant movie that portrays a lot of what I'm talking about here...it's called Babel. The story does a great job of revealing our connectedness. It contains some very graphic scenes, so be aware that it may not be the kind of film you'd appreciate.

Peace and Love,
Rex

It's Time!

Today I woke up with a fever. You need to know that on this particular day each and every year I catch this same fever. No, I don't have some strange and contagious illness, my fever comes from my deep love for the game of baseball. If you close your eyes and listen closely you can hear the greatest sounds in the world...the sound of baseballs pounding the leather of a glove...the sound of a ball cracking off the sweet spot of a bat...the sounds of players popping their gum and spitting their chew. I love this time of year! Go Mariners!

Things I've been thinking about lately...

I wonder how many people are going to show up for our Super Bowl Party?

How excited I am for people's renewed excitement for community through Home Groups.

That Home Groups can never be the answer for people's need for communtiy.

I can't wait to go to Mexico and join God in the work he's already doing...and to do it with my church!

I'm sickened with the fact that big oil companies are recording record profits every quarter while so many poor americans are struggling to fill their tanks. "When the gas in my tank feels like money in the bank..." Eddie Veddar

I'm looking at a picture of my 2 boys and I can't believe how much love this heart feels for them!

I love random blogs....

Hunger...let's call it what it is!

One of my favorite food establisments here in the Eastside is the Wilde Rover in downtown Kirkland. I can usually be found there once a week enjoying their amazing nachos and conversing with their really cool servers. One reason I like going to the "Rover" as we regulars like to call it :) is that they provide free newspapers for patrons to read as they sit at the bar. Most days, I go for the Seattle Times but on this particular day in December all that was left was the New York Times. I enjoy the news and reading the papers, but the NY Times is an entirely different level of news...I mean you really have to like the news to find this paper interesting! Anyways, I went straight to the commentary page and found a very intersting article about hunger here in America and what our governement is doing about it. Before I go any farther you need to know that I am not in any way bashing our government or our current administration...I'm simply expressing concerns. Currently in America there are about 11 million americans who each month do not have the money to provide enough food for their families. The 23 largest cities in America have all recorded record increases in emergency food requests from citizens according to a recent US Conference of Mayors. In Fairfax County, Virginia the health department cracked down on the people who cook meals for the homeless from their homes and churches because they don't have commercial-grade kitchens! But maybe the most disturbing of all to me is the fact that our Dept. of Agriculture has taken the word "hungry" out of it's verbage and replaced it with "very low food security". Who are they kidding? Changing the language will never change the facts, and we as the church should not be convinced that these people who for whatever reason don't have enough food aren't sometimes hungry! Let's call hunger what it is...hunger! I have learned recently that the people of Fairfax County fought hard and the health department backed off and these kind people are back to cooking meals for the homeless. It's stories like this that makes it easy for me to pick on politics and it's leaders, and not see the good that's taking place in churches and shelters. I pray that we as a church can continue to be a voice in our community and continue to serve as many needs as possible. Remember what Mother Teresa once said..."small things done in great love can change the world". I believe we can change the world with Jesus...as long as we're not blinded to the real hurt and needs all around us.

Peace and Love to you.
Rex

Good Friends...

Just got home from our Nooma Night / small group and I'm really encouraged by the love and commitment these people have for each other and Redwood Hills. We had such a fun time tonight eating and talking about some great stuff! I love our church and the good friends who have come into my life in the last 8 months...

Peace and Love to you,

Rex