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Repaso: May 17, 2013

May 17, 2013 — Leave a comment

1. Buying social justice
Rachel Pieh Jones (@RachelPiehJones) lives in Djibouti, and the activism of some fellow Americans scares her:

If my generation cares so deeply about global issues of justice and poverty that they are willing to change eating, clothing, and living habits, where are they? A significant challenge for nonprofits and ministries remains recruiting people who will commit to serve long-term outside the United States. I know there are a plethora of good reasons that concerned American Christians can’t just uproot and leave the States, from family to health to finances. I know I simplify. But I have a theory about what is partly contributing to the dearth of young Americans willing to spend their lives on behalf of others. They think they are already are.

2. Christians and immigration
World recently published essays by two evangelicals with different views on the immigration debate. Unfortunately, it’s not really a conversation as the title suggests, but it sure is better than nothing. Here’s an excerpt from Danny Carroll, a Guatemalan-American professor who teaches at Denver Seminary, and whose views on this issue I mostly share:

One of the reasons Christians disagree about the Bible and immigration is that we speak from diverse perspectives that define in different ways how the Bible can be used for societal issues. Our starting points differ, as do our arguments. We should not be surprised, then, that we differ on things like immigration. We talk past each other without realizing we are speaking different “theological languages” from various church traditions. Our disagreements, though, do not disqualify Christian input into the national discussion, but we need to be wiser about how we speak out and be more aware of our theological and church backgrounds that may lead us in contrary directions.

3. DFW on empathy
During a 2005 commencement address, the late David Foster Wallace said this, among other things:

Most days, if you’re aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady who just screamed at her kid in the checkout line. Maybe she’s not usually like this. Maybe she’s been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer. Or maybe this very lady is the low-wage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness. Of course, none of this is likely, but it’s also not impossible.

4. On saving the world
Jamie Smith (@james_ka_smith) interviews Tyler Wigg-Stevenson (@tylerws) about responsible activism and social change, drawing on Tyler’s recent book The World Is Not Ours To Save (which I loved). Here’s an excerpt on the relationship between activism and discipleship:

I think discipleship is the comprehensive posture of living a life that seeks to follow Jesus. Of seeking the discipline of the confession that Christ is Lord, of the living person of Christ. It seeks that discipline over every aspect of our lives. Activism, on the other hand, is a posture toward social realities that presupposes that coordinated activity can make a difference in the social realities that we live in. One’s discipleship might very well lead one into acts of activism or to a career as an activist or to times spent in activism, but discipleship can never be evacuated into activism. Activism is never a substitute for discipleship. It’s at best a subset of the sort of activities that one might do as a disciple of Christ.

5. Modern Motorcycle Diaries
Alex Chacón (@ExpeditionSouth), of El Paso, Texas, recently spent 500 days riding his motorcycle from Alaska all the way down to Argentina. You can read an interview with him here; better yet, watch this video.

[Photo: msu.edu]

In Repaso activism, discipleship, empathy, immigration, Repaso, social justice, travel

Celebrating God’s goodness where we are

October 24, 2012 — 3 Comments

Adam and Christine Jeske love adventure. They sought it out while college students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and then, after getting married and graduating, their pursuit of adventure took them to inner city Atlanta, Nicaragua, South Africa, and China, all over the course of many years. And then one day they found themselves back in Wisconsin. And life suddenly felt terribly… well… ordinary.

I can relate to Adam and Christine’s story in many ways. My own adventures over the past decade have taken me to several continents for various lengths of time, from living with Buddhists in Cambodia to backpacking across Italy to an unnerving run-in with Somali camel herders to hitching rides across Guatemala to living in a formerly abandoned house in the jungle in Costa Rica (with vampire bats!). Each of these experiences has left an indelible mark on who I am and on how I see the world. But each time, sooner or later, I’ve returned to “normal” life at home. And each time I’ve wrestled with what that really means.

In their new book, This Ordinary Adventure: Settling Down Without Settling (IVP/Likewise), the Jeskes tell their story of seeking to hold onto their ideals while adjusting to a much more “ordinary” life in the United States. Using the “Amazing Days” mantra they touted throughout college and their years overseas, they settled into the spiritual discipline of celebrating the amazing in the midst of the ordinary.

Covering a variety of issues, including work, identity, suffering, money, marriage, fear, and community, they tell stories at turns hilarious and heartbreaking, the kinds of stories that emerge from those dedicated to lives fully lived. I don’t want to give away the ending, but I must say the final chapter’s account of La Celebración is my favorite story in the book, painting a beautiful picture of how rich and spontaneous everyday life can be when we cultivate the imagination in community.

Like me, both Adam and Christine studied international development at Eastern University, so our paths have continued to run parallel in certain ways, but like them, I’ve also settled into a more “ordinary” way of life — in Phoenix, in my case, where I live with my amazing wife of nearly a year. And I’m finding that ordinary adventures truly are available to us wherever we are.

Yesterday morning I set out for an early morning walk around the palm-tree-laden apartment complex where we live, to think and pray. On my iPod I was listening to a collection of songs and prayers from Taizé, which take simple phrases from the Psalms and other parts of scripture and put them to music. The temperature had gotten down to the upper 60s (frigid, I know!), providing perfect sweatshirt weather.

As I made my way around the perimeter of the complex, nodding at the occasional dog-walker, I was able to focus my attention on the good God who created palm trees and sunshine, the God who causes cold fronts (relatively speaking) to pass through, the God who gave us the gift of song. And I was reminded that these good and perfect gifts come to us from the same One who created humankind in his image — those men, women, and children who collectively comprise the cultures of Nicaragua, South Africa, and China, and of Italy, Guatemala, and Cambodia. I’m thankful for the chances I’ve had to see the world, for the people I’ve been privileged to know. Likewise, I give thanks now for a place to call home, and a woman to make that home with.

And finally, I’m grateful for the Jeskes’ new book, which reminds us that while there is a time to travel and a time to put down roots, ordinary adventures are possible anywhere for those who celebrate God’s goodness whenever and wherever it shines through.

Christine and Adam Jeske, authors of This Ordinary Adventure from InterVarsity Press on Vimeo.

To learn more about This Ordinary Adventure and to participate in (what’s left of) “31 Amazing Days” visit the book’s site. The Jeskes blog at Patheos and have created a budding Facebook community focused on the ideas of this book. They’re also good people to follow on Twitter, at @AdamJeske and @ChristineJeske, respectively.

In Gospel Adam Jeske, adventure, Christine Jeske, Community, home, IVP, ordinary, This Ordinary Adventure, travel

The debated merits of short-term mission trips and one-time service projects

July 3, 2012 — 1 Comment

In the past couple of weekly roundups, I’ve included links to a recent three-part series by Darren Carlson of Training Leaders International on the pros and cons of the short-term mission trip phenomenon, as well as some hints at a better way forward. As it happens, Christianity Today took up the topic in June as well, devoting its Village Green opinion section to three different perspectives.

Those who have read When Helping Hurts (my thoughts on the revised edition soon) or Toxic Charity (thoughts here) have been forced to consider the sometimes less-than-wonderful outcomes of well-intended service projects and mission trips. Some come away from those kinds of books feeling paralyzed, afraid to do anything at all. Others dig in their heels, stubbornly refusing to change course. Neither, obviously, is the right way to go, as the authors of those books do make fairly clear.

So, what did CT’s three guest columnists have to say? Here are my summaries:

Wheaton anthropology professor Brian Howell says churches “should abandon most travel-intensive ‘projects.’” He’s concerned with travel that emphasizes relationships and learning, and urges us not to forget needs closer to home.
David Livermore, a “cultural intelligence” guru, says the key to good short-term trips is for leaders to set clear objectives that make sense for everyone involved.
Finally, Trinity’s Robert Priest argues that international trips and local service projects don’t need to be mutually exclusive.

The fact of the matter is that the number of short-term mission participants continues to rise (confirmed both by actual studies and by perusing Facebook photos this time of year), and increasing numbers of evangelicals are getting involved locally in service projects. As far as I’m concerned, these are positive developments, taken overall. Despite the potential of both to do harm if not done well, they can also be mutually enriching experiences for everyone involved. But they need to be done wisely. I agree with Howell, who emphasizes relationships and learning. I agree with Livermore on the importance of having clear objectives. And I agree with Priest that we shouldn’t have to choose between local projects and international trips.

If I were to add my two cautionary cents, I’d say it’s important to be realistic about what we can actually expect to come out of a short-term trip. In the economy of the kingdom, there is very little that can be accomplished during a two-week trip or during an afternoon at the local park. Real change takes time. Lots of time. Often, the one who goes to serve is the one who is impacted most positively. We need to be honest about that.

We also need to be honest about the fact that a short-term trip is a largely artificial experience. What happens in the weeks, months, and years ahead is the true measure of impact. And we should examine our motivations for participating: is it for the accolades we’ll receive at church? Is it for the spiritual buzz we’ll feel? Is it mostly to get a new profile pic with an orphan? Is it because of a resident god-complex (to borrow Jayakumar Christian‘s incisive and helpful term)?

Our motivations may never be 100% pure, and we may never be completely sure of the results of our participation. That’s reality. While all of this should give us pause and lead us to listen better, and to think and pray more deeply, we shouldn’t use it as justification for our apathy and selfishness. Following Jesus is about faithfulness, which is ultimately impossible when we play it safe and bury our treasure in the sand.

[Image credit: managedministries.com]

In Culture, Gospel Christian, church, missions, service project, short-term mission, Toxic Charity, travel, When Helping Hurts

Repaso: Cuban travel ban; John Stott on worship & witness; religious pluralism & “holy ground”; church as “polis”; public art in a favela

March 16, 2012 — Leave a comment

1. Two views on the Cuban travel ban
The Miami Herald recently had dueling op-eds on the topic of the Cuban embargo and travel ban. Miami, as many know, has a large Cuban-American population and this issue, always a contentious one, is only heightened there. Humberto Fontova writes “Why we remain resolute against traveling to Cuba,” while Elissa Vanaver represents the other view in “Cuba: Why we made the trip, and what we saw.” Neither of the writers seem particularly fond of the Castro regime, but have different ideas of how to best respond.

2. John Stott on worship and witness
Q Ideas, in partnership with the Evangelical Environmental Network, published an old sermon by John Stott on worship and witness:

The works of the Lord are to be the subject of our witness. Worship and witness belong together. We cannot possibly worship God—that is, acknowledge his infinite worth— without longing to go out into the world to persuade other people to come and worship him. Worship leads inevitably to witness, but witness leads to worship, too. It is a continuous cycle of worship leading to witness leading to worship and so on. The two cannot be separated. In both worship and witness, the works of the Lord are paramount.

3. Religious pluralism and “holy ground”
Philip Jenkins, who introduced many of us to the shifting center of global Christianity toward the South and East and away from the West, writes for Christian Century on religious pluralism and “holy ground.” It’s not a new issue, of course, but growing religious extremism, coupled with changing religious demographics due to migration, has made it all the more timely. It’s something Miroslav Volf addressed in his book A Public Faith, which I reviewed here.

4. Ken Myers on the church as “polis”
Ken Myers, host of the Mars Hill Audio Journal (which I’m thoroughly enjoying this year thanks to a Christmas gift from my in-laws), wrote a book on faith and culture that’s now being re-released more than 20 years after its original publication. Here’s an excerpt from the introduction:

The Church is not simply in the business of getting individuals saved. The Church’s task is to nurture and shape its members into disciples, who observe everything their Lord—the Lord of heaven and earth—has commanded. Of course, the Church must be eagerly active to bring in new members. But it must deliberately be a body the membership in which makes a difference. It must offer a way of life—a culture—which is distinct from the world’s ways. And it must seek to baptize its new members into Christ and into his body, which means that they must be exhorted to abandon their old memberships and allegiances.

5. Participatory public art in a favela
The polis blog, which I continue to love, has an interview with Boa Mistura, a group of five Spanish artists who call themselves “graffiti rockers.” They spent some time living with a family in a favela in Sao Paolo, Brazil, saying they “wanted settle in the slum, dissect it, smell it, live it and love it.” They ended up working on a public art installation with neighborhood residents, painting words like “love,” “beauty” and “firmness” in Portuguese in bright colors on walls. It’s fascinating stuff.

Repaso is intended as a thought-provoking compilation of news and commentary from the past week related to the intersections of faith, development, justice and peace. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of the links and ideas in this roundup!

[Photo credit: Boa Mistura via thepolisblog.org]

Repaso: Free2Work, ethical travel, faithful city planning, Paul Simon on God, Native relocation

January 13, 2012 — Leave a comment

1. The story behind the bar code
I’m really encouraged to see this – Free2Work, an app that lets you connect the dots a bit and see where the product you’re considering buying came from. Seems like a win for those of us who want to support businesses that contribute to the well-being of their workers, and perhaps steer clear of the less ethical brands:

Be a conscious consumer! Learn how your favorite brands relate to trafficking and other labor abuses. Free2Work provides consumers with information on forced and child labor for the brands and products they love. Free2Work grades companies on a scale of “A” to “F” based on their efforts to prevent and to address forced and child labor.

2. Ethical travel destinations for 2012
Speaking of ethics, the Polis blog highlights a new report from Ethical Traveler, listing the ten most ethical travel destinations, “based on their recent record of protecting the environment, promoting social welfare and human rights, and creating a sustainable tourism industry.” The list may surprise you; six of the ten are in Latin America and the Caribbean.

3. God’s (unexpected?) plan for cities
Here’s another interesting one from the Polis blog: a podcast on the “undeniable” connections between faith and city planning and why those preparing for careers as city planners ought to study religion:

Faith-based groups rebuild areas after disasters, they develop affordable housing plans, and they help the poor. Additionally, social movements that have profoundly changed society, like the civil rights movement, were guided by faith. Yet planning education generally does not deal with faith… Should the study of faith traditions and values be part of a planning education?

4. Paul Simon on God (by way of John Stott)
Kim Lawton, managing editor of Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, recently interviewed Paul Simon. The video is available here. In a related piece for Christianity Today, Lawton says Simon was deeply impacted by the late John Stott, who he realized was different from the stereotypes of Christians he had known. He said:

I was interested in speaking to the John Stotts of the world and other evangelicals because my instinct was that the animosity is not as deep as being depicted in the media, and anecdotally speaking, I have found that that’s the truth.

5. The legacy of Native relocation
NPR, as part of its series on Native American issues, has a new story on a little known bit of American history, and its legacy, this time in Los Angeles:

Los Angeles County is home to the largest urban American Indian population — more than 160,000. In 1952, the federal government created the Urban Relocation Program, which encouraged American Indians to move off reservations and into cities such as Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. They were lured by the hope of a better life, but for many, that promise was not realized. “The boarding schools, relocation — I mean, everything that historically happened to American Indians — continues to impact them today,” Carrie Johnson says. Johnson is part of an effort to help those living with the consequences of the relocation program and build a new future for today’s urban American Indian youth.

[Photo credit: Barcelona aerial, Aldas Kirvaitis via Flickr]