.: those with ears to hear :.

The secret of the Gospel comes as a radical invasion into the lives of those with ears to hear. Whenever you see Jesus running into those who “had it all together” spiritually, we often see him addressing their skepticism and confronting their hardheartedness. But with those who came with their defenses down, empty and ready to receive, we see Jesus speaking the truths of the Good News to them in powerful and passionate ways. The reason my heart is pondering this theme is simply because that as a man who has been given the gift of teaching, my deepest desire is that my words would have an impact upon my listeners. All pride admitted, I confess and realize that it is the Holy Spirit who uses my words as He sees fit (i.e., to convict, to encourage, to admonish, etc.). But as I consider what it means for me to stand behind that pulpit, I am quickly coming to the conclusion that I am mostly there to speak for the sake of those who truly have ears to hear. For those who hear the message and aren’t ready to receive the heart of the message, for them it is one more step in the process of the hardening of their hearts. It’s one more step in confirming their selfish suspicions. It’s one more step in reinforcing their decisions to live a certain way. It’s one more step in establishing their behavior of “ungrace” towards all those around them. My heart is for all to hear the truth – not just as I see it, but in it’s objective reality – and for the Spirit to use it to set them free. May God use those whom He chooses to accomplish His work of love and grace!

.: endings and beginnings :.

This blog is all about things that are heavy on my heart. Tonight the main echoes that I hear are ones of grieving and rejoicing for various endings and beginnings all around me. My friend Mark is coming back from Japan - a glorious beginning. My friend Drew leaves for DigiPen this week - a dreary ending. I leave for Regent in a little over two weeks - an anticipated beginning. I leave Mount Vernon in a little over two weeks - a somber ending. The sun has disappeared for gloomy rain - a sad beginning. Tomorrow is one of my last times at EBC for a while - a curious ending. Starts and finishes, introductions and conclusions... and this weekend is reminding me that this page of my life is drawing to a close and the curtains are beginning to draw together. So in my heart, I feel a joy and sadness which are powerfully mixed and intertwined right now. May the Father continue His unending faithfulness!

.: theology is practical :.

In anticipation of next week’s sermon by yours truly (please be praying for me for such), I spent this morning reading through the book of Romans. What an incredibly powerful book, one that speaks of our salvation through grace, provided by Christ as a loving sacrifice on behalf of us who are completely undeserving. The power of the book comes out to me as you break into chapter twelve, beginning with, “Therefore (because of the entire foundation of God’s redemptive work)… I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”. That because of all that God has accomplished, we are called to “hate what is evil… cling to what is good”. The conclusive four chapters are so incredible because they center upon one element: unconditional love. Not an opposing system of good works… but selfless love. Not a rigid religion to dutifully commit oneself to… but gracious, God-honoring love. That is what the Gospel boils down to. Love. There is something in my heart that breaks down and rejoices from the center of who I am… because I am an undeserving recipient of God’s redemptive grace. One of the greatest things that I have learned from Regent College is the statement, “theology is practical”. For someone to possess an exhaustive knowledge of the doctrinal foundations of God and His movement throughout creation, but to not be moved to any sort of response (even at the least, worship) is a sacred tragedy. “In view of God’s mercy”, we are drawn to respond with love and grace, the same that was accomplished perfectly by our Savior and Lord. All that to simply say… Romans moved my heart today – I pray that it might have the same effect upon you as a reader and believer!

.: computers are fallible :.

I have been kicked off my blog for the past couple days - that's why there have been no new posts! Sorry.. but for now, I must catch my beauty sleep. But there will be more to come as I regain my energy.

.: films for fodder :.

This seems like the summer in which small independant films are becoming the real blockbusters of our culture. With so few films coming out with the ability to speak to us - outside of our yearning for adventure and a life bigger than what we find ourselves in (i.e., "The Bourne Supremacy", "Spiderman 2", "I, Robot") - it is the ones that are flying below the "major picture" radar. Unfortunately, all the local places are placing safe bets by filling their screens with triple screenings of "Catwoman" and "Without a Paddle" (cookie cutter movies that require no thinking, just pay your fee and drool for 90 minutes). One particular film that has caught my interest is "Napolean Dynamite". I found it to be a great film because of it's honesty and transparency with regards to speaking to real characters with whom I find the simple endearing ability to connect with. In all honesty, this film was just brutally painful to watch because the characters in it are so true to real life. I died laughing at some of the nerdy actions of Napoleon, Kip, and Pedro. The title character is an anti-social nerd that finds himself living as he seemingly sees fit. He faces the same sort of bullies that most all of us experienced at some time in our younger years. And some of the things that happen in his home are downright "white trash"... but so true to reality that I nearly wet myself in several scenes. The 80's references in the film took me back to the years of my own JH/HS years, so I found it nailing so many things that I experienced during my formative years (and now you know why I turned out so messed up! HAHAHA!) . I find myself quoting this movie every day since I saw it some time ago. And the dance sequence at the end is easily one of the funniest gags of the summer movies that I have seen so far. It was frustrating because I had to drive down to Everett to go see it... but it was definately worth my time and money. It's a PG rating so you can't go bad with taking a date to go see it.

.: one for the books :.

This day has shaped up to be one for the history books, not only in Daniel's life, but also mine. Today was a day of restoration as God allowed me to see an old friend and enjoy fellowship that I haven't had for some time. But bigger than that was our dropping Daniel off at Master's. I had the chance to go with him as he signed in, and boy was I surprised (and tremendously encouraged) as old friends and college chums randomly shouted out my name and tackled me in an act of joyous reunion. Seeing everyone reminded me of the part that I played there, the impression that I left, and the memories (good and sad) that God made in my life there. I am excited for my brother as he begins this new part of his life, but inside I am mixed with curiosity and slight fear of what will happen in his life there. I know that God desires the best for him, and so giving him over to the Father's care is a rich act of faith, hope, and love. May he find a home there among his peers and professors. May he take full advantage of the time that he has down there. And may he leave his own impression down there - oen that centers upon endearing others to Christ.

.: taking it easy :.

There is simply something about traveling to California that speaks to my heart. Having spent four years down here in Southern CA, it feels like a "coming home" of sorts. As we came down the Grapevine yesterday morning into San Fernando Valley, a part of me felt like it returned. I have not been here for over 5 months, but it only feels like a week or two since I was surrounded with this familiar enviroment. Even being at Six Flags yesterday, surrounded by the socially wild and fashionally confused "youngins", I had a sense of peace - for this, in some small way, felt like home. Much has happened in my life since I left this valley in 1999 for my first one (the Skagit), but in a way, I always feel invited to come back here and play a part in some small way. I feel safe and exposed here, for this is a place of memories, memorials, and a deep part of personal history. I made friends here... I earned scars and wounds here... I watched the Lord enrich my heart and carve out a future for me here... and now I leave my brother in 24 hours to do the same. California is a lovely place to visit, but to live here right now? I find my heart has not settled yet.

.: going back to cali :.

We are heading down to Southern California to drop my brother off for his first year at the Master's College (Santa Clarita, CA). This is such a huge step for him so please be in prayer for him as he adjusts to his new life around a formal student body. This is an exciting time for him, and it is my prayer for him that God uses this time to form him more and more into the image of Christ. Remembering what my first year away from home was like, I hope that the Father is gracious and allows him to sink his roots in through good friendships with the students and staff much quicker than I did myself. He will certainly struggle at first, but I believe that he will eventually make a good history there.

.: pastor technology :.

This past weekend, a friend of mine and I watched a sort of responsive documentary towards NOOMA Films and the videos that they are producing. So much of the commentary was personal praise and commendation of the teaching videos that Rob Bell is found on. Our own Youth Ministry has been impacted several times over by these films; specifically because of the way that Rob approaches teaching the truth to his viewers through such visual medium. But even more than that, these DVD’s are incredible because, as one viewer responded on the documentary, it is “Christian art that doesn’t suck”. All of us have been more than inculcated with Christian videos that have a 3 piece suited senior (age, not position) pastor reading his sermon from a cue card, with a white sheet as a background, random posts and pedestals strewn about the stage. NOOMA is producing films that are powerful, to the point, and rich for any and every place where people desire to have their hearts stirred towards Christ and deeper faith. Rob Bell is deeper in those 10 minutes of video than anything I ever used with our Junior High Youth Ministry… and the kids get it! I mean, they really get it, and even more, they want to see them again and again.



Now I do realize that NOOMA is not the only business producing such films. Media X is also a great place that is making videos that actually have an effect upon our PoMo youth. But I use NOOMA as an exemplarily basis for the question that my friend and I thought through – will we be talking about these videos in five years the way we are talking about the poorer contrastive films that I related to earlier? And even more, once everyone gets on the bandwagon, what will be the next step? Is this one more stride in making our ministries fully dependent upon technology? Should our schools and seminaries be adding a video class to their bible curriculum, understanding that both will be used in the near future (say, two minutes from now) in our churches? The NOOMA films are great as long as they compliment our ministries, but not replace our ministers. I use these films to open up discussion for the classes that I lead in, but never have they been the only thing. Any thoughts? You know what to do.

.: the reality of real :.

It is my aim to have this blog be a posting board for papers and ramblings. I will thus initiate that by posting my first blog article. I don't know how others are moved to post their thoughts on such a public forum, but we certainly cannot have discussion if someone doesn't provide the fodder for such. This article, like so many others on my hard drive, come from moments of mystery, poured out in an attempt to capture some of what I am thinking at a given moment. And like many other papers, I came to the end feeling like I didn't even come close to writing down all that remains conflicted within my heart. But it is certainly a beginning.



The Reality of Real.doc

.: oh, what a day can bring :.

I am housesitting this weekend at a place that makes me never want to move back home. Last night, I had the chance to hang with friends and attempt a three course meal (what do you mean a steak doesn't count as a whole meal?). We watched "Shawshank Redemption", which has got to be one of my top five movies. What an incredible story of hope! The two best scenes to me are first when Red confesses to Andy in the prison yard what so many people today silently feel; "Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane". And the second: when Red is narrating in the closing scene as he approaches Andy on the shore; "I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I imagine it's the excitement only a free man can feel. A free man at the start of a long journey, whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border... I hope to see my friend and shake his hand... I hope the pacific is a blue as it has been in my dreams... I hope...". I would love to hear your thoughts on this powerful film.



Like most Saturdays, this one is getting frittered away because I have so many little things to accomplish. Besides wanting to get this blog up and running, I have 3 different messages to prepare for. Our family trip to Cali is coming up soon, and it is my thinking that I can get some stuff done in the car, but you all know how that typically goes. So I must bid "adu" and run back to all my awaiting duties and responsibilities.

.: round one :.

This is an article that I found off of The Ooze website which feels a lot like a summary of the past 6 months for me (specifically with my beginnings at Regent College). I used this article the other night at The Pit (our underground group of undomesticated followers of Christ) for discussion – I present it now to you, the educated and the unqualified, for some open confession and conflict. Chew it up and spit it back onto a post of your own! I will simply say that Riley feels like he is well into a path that I find myself on in 2004. Enjoy!



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I AM NOT RIGHT

By Riley Whaling



A thought has been rolling around in my head for sometime, one that had not quite completed it’s logical thought train, until suddenly it pulled into the station and hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that my relationship with God is not “Right”.



The idea of being absolutely right has for a long time been an ideology that I have fiercely held to. The thought that I was wrong or in the wrong place was one that I was unable to entertain. This past year has been a fascinating time of growth for me, one that has brought me to this start of a new outlook on my relationship with Christ. My relationship with God has been tainted, influenced, and affected by both my life experience and the culture I live in. When I first began to understand the complexity of culture and it’s deeply rooted effect on the people who lived within it, I was taken back. I suddenly realized that my way of doing things is not the only, and most certainly not the best way. From eating habits and marriage choices, the wide diversity of cultural facets was a wonderful and wildly fascinating new world of mind-expanding adventures. I imagined myself traveling and seeing the world, trying to grasp the perspective of those distant and mysterious people I have yet only to meet in periodicals and photo spreads from the deepest jungles. As I began to look deeper into other cultures, I found that parts of my faith were being challenged or outright ignored by these people.



At first, like any self-righteous, sinful human, I labeled them “apart from God” or “rejecters of the truth”. But then suddenly, in a moment of fearful self-exposure, I applied what I had seen within the differences of culture to my relationship with God. I looked and found so much of what I considered to be necessary in a relationship, was nothing more than consequences of deciphering God’s message to me through my cultural and life-experience filters. My relationship with God was slanted by the culture I lived in, and the manifestations of that relationship (the practice of my faith and relationship with God) was heavily influenced by my filters.



The cornerstones of the Christian faith (belief in God, belief in Christ as the savior, and the total dependency of human kind upon God for justification) are the only things I have deemed as absolutes. The rest of the practice of that faith is dependant upon each Christ follower's cultural environment and life experience. Thankfully, after much rolling around and straining and testing within my mind, this thought finally found it’s way to the level of expression, from the realm of unconscious lurking to the higher level of complete thought.



My completed thought is this:



My relationship with God is not absolutely right because there is no absolute right way to have a relationship with a living, dynamic and wildly creative God. My filters limit my perception of Him and His divine nature. This is coupled with the reality that He is outside of my existence (the 4 dimensions of height, length, width, and time), and thus beyond my comprehension. This also limits my perception. I can only hold to the absolutes and realize that my relationship with God will be unique and different from everyone around me. More importantly, every Christ follower is not required to practice their faith the way that I do.



( http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=848)

.: the world wide wonder :.

This is a first for me. Never have I left such a personal fingerprint on such a public place. The wonders of the 21st century BLOG is that a real human being can be reduced to a web link. Such realities have been acknowledged on some other page with graphics much more wonderous than my own, so I will leave it at that.



I am excited for the possiblities of this BLOG. I must confess that I was only able to merge onto the internet highway with the help of my friend and YM comrade Jason Nelson (check out his BLOG ~ "A Time Less Objective") so everything you see and will take in in the future is because of his labor of love on my behalf.



It is my desire that this BLOG be a place of honesty, integrity, hope, passion, conflict, refuge, and sanctified cynicism. There are far too many places where such things are not welcome, but this is a site for anyone and everyone to ponder, create, envision, and gasp at mystery. I want this to be one more element of my Romans 12:1 worldview. And as you participate and leave your own fingerprints (no assumptions or expectations held), we can create a place of beauty, mystery, and desire.



Dream loud. Dream big. Dream alive.