If you don't find yourself in a compelling story you'll be captured by a lesser one.

Alien Behavior

May 24, 2012 by 14 Comments
Customs

Today, I have the privilege of hosting my good Australian friend Andrew Cameron on the Compelling Parade blog. Andrew lives here in northeast Ohio where he works for Ambassadors in Sport. I have been pressuring him to write more and challenged him to send me a guest post. This is what he sent, and here is his blogging debut…

I found out I was an alien at 22 years old.

They were on to me straight away. 

I was made to stand in a separate line, subjected to all manner of questioning, fingerprinted and photographed.  In my confusion and fatigue due to the long journey I had just completed, I entered a Japanese greeting (“ohayoo”) in the “State” field of my arrival card.  Far from endearing me to my new inquisitors, they just appeared to become more annoyed.

In nine years of traveling to and from the USA, I have never become comfortable with my status as an “alien” here.  I received a boost last year – I am now a “resident alien” – but even my permanent resident card has an expiry date on it.  There may be many types of aliens out there but there is only one type of non-alien: the citizen.

There are aliens in the Bible too. 

In 1 Peter 2:11, Peter addresses the believers as “aliens (i.e. resident aliens) and strangers (i.e. temporary residents) in the world.”  A similar theme is taken up in Hebrews 11:13, where the writer commends the heroes of the faith because they “admitted that they were foreigners (i.e. “visitors”) and strangers (i.e. temporary residents) on earth.”

So how do aliens live?  As a resident alien in the USA, here are some thoughts:

  1. They adjust their speech enough to be understood but not enough to be indistinguishable from the “citizens” around them.  For example, I now say “gas” instead of “petrol” and “peppers” instead of “capsicum”, but I refuse to arbitrarily lengthen my vowels or pronounce my “R’s” like a pirate (or pronounce them at all, actually, being Australian).  I want people to understand what I’m saying but I’m not trying to hide that I’m not American.
  2. They look to develop common interests and shared passions with the “citizens”, while staying true to who they are.   For example, I’m a football (soccer) guy but I’ve learnt to follow the NFL, MLB and NBA as well, and I filled out my March Madness bracket this year just like the next guy… unless the next guy is Barack Obama or LeBron James, in which case I filled out my bracket better (boom! thank you celebrity brackets on ESPN).  However, I am incapable of being interested in the NHL and I am yet to be convinced Lacrosse is a real sport.  Similarly, I have embraced the pulled-pork sandwich but I will never, I repeat never, eat a pickle.  It’s just plain wrong.
  3. They modify some behaviours to adapt to the culture, but intentionally retain others that express where they come from.  For example, I will happily take advantage of drive-through ATM’s and Pharmacies (who wouldn’t?) but I will also cherish an active, and occasionally inconvenient, lifestyle; I will embrace the respect shown to elders but not the worship of celebrity; I will value and take pride in my work but always remember that “life” is about much more than it; and I will endeavour to treat serious issues seriously but I won’t forget that “no worries” is a Biblical, as well as antipodean, mandate.
  4. They engage in civil and political discourse, but are always aware that no politician or party can truly represent them.  For example, I couldn’t vote even if I wanted to so I don’t expect US politicians to have my best interests at heart, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be meaningfully involved in the discussion.  And if anyone was to ask me whether I’m a Democrat or a Republican, the answer is easy… I’m Australian.
  5. Finally, they intentionally counter the subtle erosion caused by residing in a foreign land.  For example, I use an Australian calendar and, even though you wouldn’t catch me dead with it in Australia, an Australian beach towel.  I have also asked Aussie friends to honestly tell me if my accent or attitude are on the slide.  The stakes are too high to leave it to chance or try to do it alone.

 Are there any other aliens out there?

 

Filed Under: Guest Blogging, Worldliness Tagged With: , ,

Exchanging Lies for Truth

November 22, 2011 by 9 Comments

These young men and woman are doing the hard work of exchanging lies for truth. Their testimonies are compelling and I’m sure at least one of these cardboard messages is something you’ve dealt with or are dealing with. Check out this compelling video:

Cardboard Testimonies from Ben McRae

What would your cardboard testimony say?

Filed Under: Community, Compelling, Worldliness Tagged With: , , , ,

Perpetual Consumerism

September 27, 2011 by 17 Comments
work-buy-consume-die

Walter Brueggemann was correct when he said, “The contemporary American church is so largely enculturated to the American ethos of consumerism that is has little power to believe or to act”

Just a little bit more

We live in a consumer society and Americans have mastered the methods of consumerism. However, it’s not just consumerism but something I like to call: perpetual consumerism. No matter how much we consume, we think we need just a little bit more.

It’s continual. It’s never-ending. And it’s out of control.

I’ve begun to think that society isn’t what calibrated us to perpetual consumerism but that our hearts are naturally bent toward seeking satisfaction from that which we do not have. This natural pursuit has sent us climbing to the highest mountain peaks and diving to the deepest ocean reefs. It has caused us to seek love and acceptance from sexual pursuits and power and security in monetary gain.

How high is high enough? Just a little bit higher.

How much sex is enough? Just a little bit more.

How much power is enough? Just a little bit more.

It’s our drug

Perpetual consumerism is a chronic problem. Companies spend millions not so that you will purchase their product and use their service, but that you will purchase their product and use their service over and over and over. Casinos are designed not just in a way to get you to gamble, but that you would lose your track of time and literally get lost in gambling again and again and again. Marketing campaigns are crafted to lure us in with “how-to’s” and “self-help” promises that leave us indebted to their techniques and principles. Perpetual consumerism isn’t a one time thing, but something we keep coming back to in order to get our fix.

The world wants us to be dependent upon it and desperate for what it has to offer. We’re on a journey for just a little bit more and the world is offering just that. We have become addicted to the drug of consumerism and the world is our drug dealer.

Christians have realized this and instead of combating it we adopted a consumerism mentality in our churches. Worship services were designed to tug at people’s emotions and offer an entertainment value. Churches began treating its members and visitors as consumers instead of disciples. And when confronted with sharing the gospel with perpetual consumers—those who are on the cutting edge of society and cultural relevance—our strategies changed from worshipping in spirit and truth to entertaining with oohs and aahs. We traded in the power of God for the something far less compelling, our own power.

What goes in is what comes out

Yet, we are consumers for a reason, right?

We need to be. If we don’t consume we will die.

Physically, we need air, water, food.

Emotionally, we need love, relationships, security.

We were created to consume and maybe that’s why we’re so good at it. But we were created to consume the glory of God in order to produce a life of worship for Him. 

Jesus said, “Mand does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4)

God understands that we need to consume, but not just bread, not what the world has to offer but what He offers. We consume, consume, consume—but all the wrong things and the things that cannot produce a life of worship. Consumption leads to production. What we consume is what we produce. Your mom was right when she said, “What goes in is what comes out.”

How much of God is enough?

We are all searching for just a little bit more. Find yourself in a great relationship – you want just a little bit more. Find yourself eating a fabulous meal – you want just a little bit more. Find yourself in on an amazing vacation – you want just a little bit more. When we encounter a good thing, we always want more. It’s perpetual.

I find it odd that the way we related to God is mysteriously similar to perpetual consumerism. As you grow in intimacy with God and His perfect will for your life you might just find that your thirst for Him isn’t quenched, but amplified! Could it be true that the more intense and consistent time we spend with God doesn’t always result in contentment, but rather in a deeper thirst and desire for the things of God?

When we feast on the bread of life, the very words of God, we can never get enough.  So if you ask me, how much of God is enough? I would probably say, “Just a little bit more.”

Do you feel the need to constantly consume? How do you feel when you’re hungry? What has been your experience when you consume the right thing (God)?

[Photo credit: Communicators, Inc.]
Filed Under: Community, Worldliness Tagged With: , , , , ,

What do people notice most about you?

July 28, 2011 by 2 Comments

I’m continuing my time off from post writing and today I have an old post from March 2010 that was part of a blog carnival based on the theme, goodness. I hope you enjoy it. Also, I have a few guest post lined up for next week and if you missed it yesterday, Moe Vivas  posted an amazing guest post titled The Crowds. Be sure to check that out!

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What do people notice most about you? 

Your hair? Your unique wardrobe? Your smile? Your firm handshake? (My wife has a handshake that will make most men envious.)

Some people spend hours developing skills and stategies to make a good impression. Others take meticulous steps in creating an attractive appearance. Self promotion is the new form of entertainment these days. Tragically, Christians have adopted these cultural techniques.

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:18-19

How many times do you ask God to show you His glory? How often do you expect or even look for the goodness of God to pass in front of you? When have you asked God to proclaim His name in your presence?

You might be wondering what this passage has to do with people noticing you. Well, Moses returned to camp with his face radiant and glowing because he had encountered the living God. His face was so bright the Israelites weren’t sure what to do. They were both frightened and curious all at the same time. Moses had to cover his face with a veil because it was so bright. The Isrealites knew Moses had been with God. It was his most noticable feature, and it wasn’t even his own feature. It was the afterglow of God, the left-behind uncontainable glory of God himself. The most compelling feature of Moses wasn’t even Moses.

When we encounter the full goodness of God we can’t help but glow and reflect Him, and people notice that.

What do people notice most about you? Perhaps it’s not you at all.

 

 

Filed Under: Compelling, Kristen, Worldliness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Washing off the dirt

July 18, 2011 by 5 Comments
duststorm

After my softball games last night I stood in the shower and watched the dirty water run down my legs, swirl around my toes, and flow down the drain. There was so much dirt it almost turned to mud in the bottom of the tub.

I remembered back to my high school and college baseball days when I judged whether or not I had a good game by the amount of dirt that needed washed off afterwards. If mud formed in the bottom of the tub, I had not only given it my all on the field, but had brought some of the field home with me.

Mud was forming in the bottom of the tub last night. It was a good game.

This ceremonial cleaning of sorts must also take place daily with my heart and mind. Everyday I gather the dirt and dust of human opinions, worldly pursuits, and self-righteousness but God’s words are like the water that washes and purifies my heart and mind.

Our world is the field we walk in everyday. Living in the world but not of world is the tension all believers encounter. As we live out the mission of God in the world as the Church it is inevitable that we’ll gather the dirt and dust of the mission field. it can be very unhealthy if we lose sight of the need to wash and purify ourselves with God’s Word. Scripture has a way of being relevant and alive in a way that breathes life into our souls.

As ambassadors for the King in the world we will without a doubt bring some of the dirt and dust home with us as we give it our all out in the world. God never expects you to be perfectly clean – He only expects you to let Him clean you with His perfection.

Stand in the perfect streams of His grace and mercy. Let them wash off the dirt.

And tomorrow, do it again.

Have you ever been so dirty that mud formed in the bottom of your bathtub? What is the passage of Scripture that is your “go-to” for washing of the dirt?

Filed Under: Kingdom of God, Scripture, Worldliness Tagged With: , ,

Technology: A Cancer in the Universe?

June 2, 2011 by 4 Comments
child_on_iPod

“I agree Technology is per se, neutral: but a race devoted to the increase of its own power by technology with complete indifference to ethics does seem to me a cancer in the Universe. Certainly if he goes on his present course much further man can not be trusted with knowledge.” — C.S. Lewis

Did C.S. Lewis call the quest for the power of technology a “cancer in the universe”?

Obviously, Lewis never owned an iPad. He never had the luxury to “Google” himself either, the very act I performed to find this “cancerous” quote. Perhaps he would be disappointed knowing I wrote this blog post on my laptop while watching an episode of Modern Family on my 42-inch HDTV with my BlackBerry buzzing next to me, my wife sending a text message to her friend, and my three and half year old daughter playing Angry Birds on our iPod touch.

In our defense, I think our three and a half year old daughter is really smart for her age – or maybe she simply has become a product of the digital age, another victim of the “cancer of the universe”?

Continue reading Technology: A Cancer in the Universe? over on the BibleDude.net. Be sure to leave a comment and join in on the conversation.

Filed Under: Family, Worldliness Tagged With: , ,

There is a fire in my belly

April 12, 2011 by 5 Comments
stomach_ache

I sat down to eat two lonely, leftover pork chops, but my wife tried to stop me.

I was convinced they were only a few days old – okay, maybe a week.

They were still tender, flavorful, and oh so delicious. I was only trying to help the common good by cleaning out the fridge of all the leftovers. That’s a noble task, right? Let nothing go to waste.

Later that night my wife did the math and determined she made the pork chops when her parents were in town… three weeks ago.

Another surprising revelation is that three week old pork chops are tender and juicy only because the bacteria has had ample time to break down the tough enzymes.  Who knew? The consequences of my actions – my foolish actions – are better left unsaid. But it’s safe to say that I now have strong convictions when it comes to eating “age-unknown” leftovers.

My wife was trying to teach me a valuable lesson. It’s a lesson that many of us have failed to learn: just because it looks good, and tastes good, does not mean it is good.

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Filed Under: Compelling, Family, Kristen, Uncategorized, Worldliness
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