Unconscionable

My wife found this article in the latest Newsweek while we were in Barnes & Noble last night. I thought it had to be a joke, but it is not. It is the most hillarious /embarassing piece of writing that I have read in a while. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, but it turned out that I mostly laughed... a lot. If you have a few spare minutes at all, you must read this.

Merry Christmas

Peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

Advent Conspiracy

With less than a week to go until Christians of the western tradition all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus, I just wanted to remind everyone about the Advent Conspiracy.

From the AC website:

Christmas was meant to change the world. It still can. Worship more. Spend less. Give more. Love all. Zero in on what it really means to be a Christ follower during this holy season. What if you could inspire your church, your family and yourself to avoid being consumed by commercialism this Christmas? Spend some time learning about materialism and reflecting on it. Then, start conversations with others about it. What are the local and global needs around you, and what’s the meaning of Christmas all about?

13 Ways to Bless Missionaries

From Desiring God:

Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them.

Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away.

Purchase phone minutes for an international calling card through an online service like OneSuite and email them the account number.

Donate frequent flier miles to them.

Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number.

Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year.

Write a song or poem or story for them. Email them the text and a recording of you reading or singing it.

Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss.

Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency.

Western Union—the fastest way to send money.

Call their local florist (not everyone is in the jungle these days) and have flowers delivered, or their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered.

Donate to a charity that means a lot to them.

Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.

Compound Interest

My good friend Matt posted a great quote concerning Compound Interest.

Publisher's Weekly Reviews Tim Keller's New Book

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. Dutton, $24.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-525-95049-3

In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author's encounters as founding pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church. One of Keller's most provocative arguments is that "all doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs." Drawing on sources as diverse as 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson and contemporary New Testament theologian N.T. Wright, Keller attempts to deconstruct everyone he finds in his way, from the evolutionary psychologist Richard Dawkins to popular author Dan Brown. The first, shorter part of the book looks at popular arguments against God's existence, while the second builds on general arguments for God to culminate in a sharp focus on the redemptive work of God in Christ. Keller's condensed summaries of arguments for and against theism make the scope of the book overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it should serve both as testimony to the author's encyclopedic learning and as a compelling overview of the current debate on faith for those who doubt and for those who want to reevaluate what they believe, and why. (Feb. 14)

Source: Here

This one is definitely on my wish list. Tim Keller has influenced my thinking quite a bit and I am anxious to see how his foray into the writing world turns out.

Third of Advent

Today we relight the first two candles of the Advent wreath. The candle of HOPE and the candle of PEACE.

Now we light the third candle of Advent.

This is the candle of JOY. As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth.

From the Book of Isaiah we read the words of our Lord:
“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”— Isaiah 65:18

From the New Testament, the words of Paul to the people of the church at Galatia:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”— Galatians 5:22-25

Let us pray:We joyfully praise you, O Lord, for the fulfillment of your promise of a Savior and what that means in our lives. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the birth of your son, Jesus. Create us anew as we wait, and help us to see your glory as you fill our lives with your living Spirit. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Today we relight the candle of HOPE. Now we light the candle for the second Sunday in Advent. This is the candle of PEACE. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, we remember that Jesus is our hope and our peace.

From the prophet Isaiah:
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”— Isaiah 9:6-7

From the Gospel of John:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”— John 14:27

Prayer for Second Sunday of Advent:
Gracious God, Grant that we may find peace as we prepare for our Lord’s birth. May divisions in ourselves and in our families be peacefully resolved. May there be peace in our cities and in the countries of our world. Help us to see the paths of peace in our lives, and then give to us courage to follow them. Lord, let us remember that you only are the giver of lasting peace and that you are always with us. Amen.

Advent: Prayers and Conspiracies

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent... Advent being the traditional time of preparation leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by Israel for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Jesus.

My wife and I have never celebrated Advent, though we have been Christians for many years now. We thought it would be a rich and spiritually rewarding thing to do this year. We would prefer to focus this time on Jesus, and less on consumerism and stress. We thought others might be interested in doing the same:

How to Celebrate Advent

Advent begins on Advent Sunday, usually somewhere around December 1. Historically, the primary color of Advent is Purple (in some traditions blue is used instead of purple). This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. Other colors that are used are red (for joy, love, and celebration) and white (to represent purity, new birth or creation, and Jesus).

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!

It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.

The lighting of candles (representing Jesus being the light of the world) is a very important part of celebrating Advent. On the First Sunday of Advent, the purple candle of hope is lit, follwed by scripture reading and prayers, and then is subsequently put out. Likewise for the Second Sunday (candle of peace) and the Third Sunday (candle of love). The Forth Sunday is a red or pink candle representing joy is lit, followed again by scripture reading and prayers, and again is put out. On Christmas Eve, a white candle is lit representing the birth of Christ and, along with all the others, is left burning all night. The Christ Candle, as it is called, is usually placed in the center of the other candles to remind us that the Incarnation is the heart of the season.

For a general Advent Prayer see here.

For daily Advent Scripture readings see here.

This week's Advent prayer is:

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,one God, now and for ever. Amen.

I'll post the prayer of the week each week as the Advent season moves along.

Also, the book Celtic Daily Prayer has some wonderful Advent resources.

The Conspiracy

Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption. It is really exciting and is something that all Christians, but especially those in the West, should chew on a bit this Christmas season. Check it out at http://www.adventconspiracy.org/.

A Thanksgiving Meditation by John Piper

Read it here: Ganging Up on Gratitude

Miscillanies

Want to study the Bible in Greek? Check out The Resurgence's new ReGreek site at www.regreek.com/

The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World is now available. Contributors are John Piper, David Wells, D.A. Carson, Tim Keller, Voddie Baucham, and Mark Driscoll.

What do you mean you won't consider adoption? If you are in Christ, you have been adopted! Think about it...or read this: From Adopted to Adopting.

Dirty China:The New York Sun reports that "The organizers of the 2008 Olympic Games in China have put the Bible on the list of items that athletes are banned from bringing with them to Beijing. . . ."

My buddy Sam Adams is still keeping it real in Rwanda.

Remember this name: Matt Larsen. You'll be hearing it again in the future. Some of his sermons to his college group are available on Podcast by searching for Merge.

Joe Thorn's Six Rules for Cultural Engagement

1. Be present.
It sounds easy enough, but being present in the world these days is made difficult because of the Christian sub-culture the church has created around itself. Being present means being a part of the community God has sent you to, not just the community he wants you to help create. Do you know the people, the local issues and struggles, the values, practices and interests of your neighbors? There will be no cultural engagement unless you are there, hanging out, interacting with the world outside of the church. Need a place to start? Introduce yourself to your neighbors and invite them over for dinner, read the local paper, participate in local events, let your voice be heard when appropriate, be a regular at local establishments.

2. Practice discernment.
You must be thoughtful in your engaging. Is [fill in the blank] something to reject outright (nothing good in it), something to receive as it points to truth or beauty, or is this an opportunity to point to the redemption we, and all things, have in Jesus? It is not always time to be the culture warrior, nor does Jesus call us to be spiritual pacifists. Sometimes we must fight, sometimes we share things in common, but we are always looking to heal.

3. Develop your theology.
You cannot be a culture engager if you are not a theologian. You will be unsuccessful in “redeeming culture” if you are unsuccessful as a student of theology. I am not suggesting that everyone needs to be a resurrected Turretin, Owen or Edwards, nor am I suggesting that God cannot overcome our theological inadequacies. But to speak to the culture of sin, the gospel and the character of God requires that we understand these things. Where to start? Read good books that focus on theology and its application to life and community. Dialog with others about this very task who share a growing passion for both the gathered church and the sent church.

4. Find courage.
Engaging the culture in this way demands great personal conviction. Like Jesus and the apostles, preaching the gospel in word and deed will both lead to you being favored as a helper, and hated as a meddler. It just depends on the issue. Everyone who labors in such work will encounter fear. Comfort and courage will only come from God who has promised that the we are blessed when persecuted, and the gates of hell will not prevail against his church.

5. Speak clearly.
To properly engage your culture, whether rejecting what is evil, or receiving what is good, you must speak the language of the culture. For most this should be easier than imagined. You probably understand the language of your community, but you may not speak it - particularly when it comes to explaining the gospel to people. It is not enough to say the murder of the innocent is an abomination, or that all men are dead in sin and need to be regenerated and justified. We must explain ourselves - even better, the gospel - in words they can understand. Many of us need to learn to rely less on talking points and canned presentations that are connecting less and less to the post-Christian culture, and begin developing an earnest, dialogical method of engaging with our words. There’s no easy how-to for this beyond simply doing it, failing, and trying again.

6. Love.
This is perhaps the most important rule of engaging culture, because most of the time you will not only be engaging ideas, but people; people made in God’s image, people who feel, people Christ calls us to love and serve. It is not appropriate to claim we love our neighbors without a real demonstration of that love. Whether we are rejecting, receiving or redeeming love for God and others must be what moves us to speak and act.

Source

Carole Hillard: 1936 - 2007

Carole Hillard died like she would have wanted to - in the middle of an adventure, said her son, the Rev. Todd Hillard. Carole Hillard, a former South Dakota lieutenant governor, legislator and Rapid City Council member, died early last Thursday morning in a Swiss hospital of complications following a broken neck suffered in a sail-boating accident. Carole had made the boating trip with friends on the Adriatic Sea after traveling to Turkmenistan, where she had put on a conference on federalism.

Her life taught us that one person can make a big difference in the world and that each of us has a responsibility to make the world a better place. She started from the grass roots ... with community service in Rapid City. Carole helped coordinate a protection network for battered women before there was a women's shelter in Rapid City. "That was where she got her start, picking up battered women in the middle of the night and making sure they got a safe place to stay," Todd said.

After stints on the Rapid City Council and in the Legislature, Carole was elected lieutenant governor during the second two terms of Gov. Bill Janklow from 1995-2003. She was the first and only woman to ever hold this position. In addition to presiding over the Senate, she traveled the state to appear on Janklow's behalf at events big and small.In the last decade, In these last years Carole served as an international consultant, traveling to more than 60 countries on behalf of the U.S. State Department as well as nongovernmental organizations. Among many other things, she helped supervise the January elections in the West Bank and traveled to Afghanistan in March to help create small business in Kabul.

In one of her last emails to family she wrote, "So the question is -- are we not safer living the daring life? Is it better to be bird than a turtle as we sojourn thru life?"

May the faithful departed rest in peace until the Resurrection.

Coming Home

Friends and Loved Ones,

Jenny and I, with sadness, are coming home. Her beloved Aunt Carole passed away from injuries she sustained while sailing on a boat with friends in the Adriatic Sea. Many of you may remember her from the wedding. She was quite a woman, and will be sorely missed.

The trip has been amazing, and we have learned much that we are excited to share with all of you. In the mean time, please be in prayer for us and for Jenny's family. Jenny is very sad, as is the rest of her family. We are leaving for India this afternoon, and then catching the first thing smoking for LA. We should hopefully be in LA by Sunday, and then you can reach us on our cells if you need to. Pray for our travel safety and for all those grieving the loss of this tremendous woman.

Love,
Jason for the Ballard's

River of Life

We are finally in Nepal and Jason and I could not be happier. We were giddy with excitement, not only because we have really been looking forward to this part of our trip, but also because of the craziness that it took to get here. Our driver dropped us off at the train station at 11:00pm in Agra India and we took the overnight train to a border town in India, but then we had to hire a jeep to take us the alleged 2-3 hour drive to the actual border. We were the first ones in the Jeep and then came 3 more, and then 2 more, and we had to wait a long time and it was then that we realized the goal was to fill the jeep to the maximum capacity, which was 2 people for every legal 1 seat. Needless to say, we were cramped and after 4 hours with dust and sweat and wind wreaking havoc on our bodies we decided we definitely needed to get a flight to Kathmandu. Exhausted, starving (we hadn't eaten all day) and feeling like India had beat us up, we were offered mercy and just randomly picked an excellent hotel to stay in Kathmandu!! You know you have had quite a journey when the Nepali Manager looked at me and said..."you look tired!!"

We are very very content now, Nepal is not nearly as demanding and more relaxed than India. We are really excited to get about more and see Shanta and just enjoy the country with which I fell in love. Even though we left India behind...India did not leave us behind.....both Jason and I are struggling through intense diarreaha!!

Jenny for the Ballards

Midnight Train from Agra

Namaste from Nepal,

That's right, we made it safe and sound to Kathmandu after a very epic overland border crossing into Nepal from India. We took the midnight train out of Agra on (what day was it?..) Friday for Gorakpur, India which is 30km south of the India/Nepal border. Let me just say this: second class sleeper cabins on a train in India are every bit as amazing as you would expect them to be. I didn't know whether to ask for Jenny's forgiveness, or giggle with joy. I don't think I can explain it with words. When the two India men next to us weren't snoring, we were actually able to sleep pretty well. It was everything that I'd hoped it would be.

After ariving in Gorakpur in late morning, we hired a jeep to take us as close to the border as possible. The jeep was the same size as all the jeeps in America, and there were 12 people inside, Jenny and I being the only crackers. It was a hillarious and difficult journey all at once. After four hours in the jeep, we finally made it to within 1km of the border, and hired a rickshaw to take us the rest of the way. At long last, we crossed the border at Sunuali. Our original plan was to overnight there at the border and take the bus to Kathmandu the next morning, but after scoping things out hotel wise and realizing how cheap domestic flights are in Nepal, we went ahead and caught a plane from Bhairawa to Kathmandu that very afternoon and were sitting comfortably in the Fuji Guest House in Kathmandu that very (Saturday) evening. After a shower, some Tiger Balm, and you know what, we were as happy as two puppies with two tails.

We are calling our overland journeys across India a success and a learning experience. We are very glad we did it that way. We feel we have a sense of India and its culture and customs because of our chosen means of travel. It was a once in a lifetime (and quite epic) trip. It is hard to believe we actually did it. That said, we would not recommend India to the faint of heart or those looking to relax for a while. We are very happy to be in Nepal where we can breath and enjoy ourselves. Our room is up on the top of the building by the rooftop garden with a view of the whole city of Kathmandu. It is a real blessing.

The next few days we are going to meet up with Shanta, explore Kathmandu, get an idea about what life is like here, and hopefully hook up with a Nepali church planter for whom we were just given the contact info. Our next stop in Nepal (probably next week) will be Pokhara. I've got a nice case of the runs from our last two days in India, but a big smile on my face. Hope all is well with you guys. Be sure to keep in touch.

Namaste,
Jason for the Ballards

BeautifulCrazyFascinatingIntimidatingIndia

India...where the roads are rivers of seething masses of chaotic humanity making use of every form of locomotion known to man for the last thousand years: camels, elephants, horses, donkeys, and carts pulled by all of these, rickshaws, autorickshaws, bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, strange cars, and trucks. It is a paradoxically wild and beautiful place, but it is not for the faint of heart. There are a more smells than my nose knows what to do with: perfume, trash, food cooking, fires burning, insense, exhaust, livestock, and the strange Indian body aroma. All mixed together in different ways, it makes for amost inumerable olfactory permutations. I will probably be seeing children begging for food or money for many nights to come in my dreams. Once you get over the initial culture shock, it really is a beautiful and fascinating place. The people are kind, and those that are not have usually become that way because of crushing poverty and desperation. The history is rich, and the weather has been kind. All in all, we are very fortunate to be here.

Jenny and I arrived in Delhi on Monday, and because of a lack of trains, were unable to proceed directly to Nepal. We hired an India man to drive us to Agra, with a two night stop in Jaipur on the way. We arrived in Agra today and will catch the train to the India/Nepal border tonight. From there we will take a bus to the border crossing, walk across (hopefully without event) and then either take a bus to Kathmandu or take a bus to Butwal and fly to Kathmandu. Which one will depend on cost.

The highlights in India have been the Red Fort, the Jaipur City Palace, Taj Mahal, a national park we visited, and Agra Fort. Surely there can be few things built by men that are as beautiful as Taj Mahal...all for the love of a woman! Yet, perhaps our favorite thing in India so far was the Ayurvedic treatments we recieved for two nights in a row in Jaipur. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian healing art involving massaging oils and herbs into your skin very vigorously. It ranks in my top five most physically pleasurable experiences of all time.

Please keep us in prayer. Nepal seems to be in reach, and we have much to consider there regarding our future.

Lux

What city offers the second highest quality of living to its residents, preceded only by Zurich, Switzerland? That's right, Geneva, Switzerland, which also happens to be where Jenny and I arrived today. So far, I can't dispute the number two rating, though, as a small aside I must say that it will probably be close to bizzare to go from here to New Delhi, India which I don't think they even bother to give a quality of life rating. It was sad to leave Montreux, but the train ride went smoothly, and we have a new city to explore.

We are staying at the City Hostel, which is good because I have never stayed at a hostel before and it seems like a small adventure, but very bad because for one night Jenny and I have to sleep apart. They are all booked up except in the dorm rooms. We would get a hotel somewhere else, but besides being on the top ten list of places to live, Geneva is also on another top ten list...top ten most expensive cities in the world. I think the average price of a hotel room here is something like three million dollars. Something like that.

After getting settled into our accomodations, we hoofed it over to the International Museum of the Refomation in old town. For a history and theology nerd like myself, a museum that helps one discover the reasons for the Reformation, follow the course of its development, evaluate its impact on civilization and imagine its future was something not to be missed. It was quite fascinating, and if you are in Geneva, you should certainly not miss it. After buying some John Calvin beer in the gift shop, we walked across the street to Saint-Pierre Cathedral where John Calvin pastored his church while in exile here during the reformation. They still have his chair of all things! It was moving, in a strage way, for me to be here where all these men that I have looked up to lived and worked (John Calvin, John Knox, Theodore Beza, and others), and where all these world changing events went down. Having first visited many of the Christian sights in Rome just a week ago such as the catacombs, St. John Lateran Cathedral, St. Peter's Basillica, etc., this has been not only a romantic honeymoon, but also a bit of a spiritual pilgrimage and learning experience for Jenny and I.

After leaving the church, we found some grub, and then feeling a bit like relaxing, we went and saw an English movie in a movie theater (Booyah!), for no less than $35. Unbelievable. It might have been a sin.

Now, we are back at the peaceful hostel (which almost sounds like an oxymoron), and getting ready to head to our seperate (sniff-sniff) beds and get some rest. We send our love to all who are keeping up with us here, and hope to hear from you soon.

Keller on Risks for Evangelicals

Tim Keller spoke on "What are the risks for evangelicals?" at the EMA Conference in London, England recently. Here are the highlights:

--Evangelicalism used to occupy the middle ground between fundamentalism and liberalism. It was orthodox, pro-scholarship, and facing the world. Recently, evangelicalism has become more hostile and condemning of culture. A younger generation has given up on evangelicalism as a middle ground and are looking for a new consensus. This group goes by a number of names, such as post-evangelicals or the emerging church.

--A new gospel is being preached about the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ overcoming the evil powers forces of injustice in the world. The pendulum has swung the other way.

--To respond, evangelicals must understand and practice biblical repentance as a result of believing the gospel. This will allow evangelicals to admit their sins, even if they disagree with 80% of the criticisms from the post-evangelicals, and even if the remaining 20% is expressed poorly. To the degree that we understand the gospel, we will be able to freely admit our shortcomings as an evangelical movement.

--Don't ever think that we can respond to legitimate criticisms of our practice by defending our doctrine. In defending our doctrines, we have not responded to the criticisms of our practices. Orthopraxy is part of orthodoxy.

--It is necessary to draw boundaries. What really matters is how we treat the people on the other side of those boundaries. People are watching. We're going to win the younger leaders if we are the most gracious, kind, and the least self-righteous in controversy. The truth will ultimately lose if we hold the right doctrines, but do so with nasty attitudes and a lack of love.

--We need to approach the controversies with a repentant heart corporately and say, "Despite all the bad things that are being said here, there's a core of truth here and we need to deal with it."

Source

Almost Heaven

It has been said, "If you want to find peace, go to Montreux." Well, here we are, and it is peaceful indeed. Montreux is a clean, slow-paced town on the shore of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, and it has been a great place for us to "find peace" for our bodies as we have both been feeling just a bit under the weather lately. Nothing major, just runny noses and a bit of lethargy.

Imagine a very large lake with blue water, teeming with fish, surrounded by vineyards, rolling green hills, and soaring, snow-capped mountains, and you have an idea of Lake Geneva. Then imagine sitting out on a deck, drinking red wine with your lover, and soaking all of that in, and you have an idea about our time here in Montreux. Add in long walks around that lake, exploring the castles built on its shores, and praying in the medieval churches, and that pretty much sums up our time here. Almost indescribeable.

We leave for the city of Geneva on Friday, and then fly out for India on Sunday. Pray for the return of our complete health, and also pray for Jenny`s aunt Carole who broke her neck in a fall in Croatia a few days ago. She is having spinal fusion surgery today, and could use all the prayers she can get.

In the Shadow of the Matterhorn

Guten Tag,

Jenny and I have made it to Switzerland safe and sound, but not without a few adventures along the way. We left Rome on Tuesday morning by train headed for St. Moritz, Switzerland, but because of a missed train in Milan and getting off one stop too early in the boondocks of northern Italy, we ended up staying in Tirano, Italy for the night...which ended up being more of a blessing than a curse. It was a beautiful little mountain village, as well as the best dinner, breakfast, and hotel that we had during our time in Italy.

The next morning we headed for Zermat, Switzerland by train again, and after another eight hour day on the rails, we made it here to Zermat yesterdaz evening around 7:30 in the evening. We are going to stay here in the shadow of the Matterhorn for a few days in a very quaint little eco-friendly hospitality house and do some hiking and exploring of the Matterhorn region.

Traveling by train in the most amazing form of locomotion that I have experiened in my short, but very good, life. It is especially nice when that train spends all of its time in the Swiss Alps. I think, for the rest of my life, I will take the train if I am able.

Jenny and I are very much enjoying the trip, and one another, and I feel as in love and alive as I ever have. She is a delight to me, and is an absolutely wonderful companion.

I am reading a wonderful book on the Reformation right now and it has brought a whole new diminsion to my time in Rome and here in Switzerland, which was the headquarters of much of the mainstream Reformation in Western Europe. Devotional and prayer time has been sweet for each of us. Pray that it would continue to be so. Pray also for continued safety, and that God would be our treasure above all things...even each other.

Auf Wiedersehen,
The Ballards

When in Rome...

It is hard to expain Rome really. It is such a a paradox. I suppose it could be sumarized by picturing the several thousand year old ruins of the Roman Forum or the Pantheon with brand new 2007 Smart Cars zooming around it. It is such a romantic city though. I can hardly help feeling like I am in a movie as I walk around the cobblestone alleyways with my lover.

Some of the highlights so far have been the Trevi Fountain, the basilica of St. John Lateran with its sculptures of the twelve apostles, and the ancient capital hill, and a small, out of the way church dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. St Peters Basilica was amazing as well, and far superior artistically and architecturaly, yet I enjoyed St John Lateran much more. St Peters seemed to celebrate the glory of Popes more than the glory of Christ, though it was still very moving. I must admit, being surrounded by the most awesome Christian art and architecture in the world has made this feel a bit like a pilgrimage for J and I. No matter what we do, somewhere in my head the thoughts that St. Paul and St Peter were here, the early church had its beginnings here, and hundreds of Christians were martyred here always are in the back of my mind. It has been a very prayerful and deeply spirtual time for me, as well as being romantic and fun. Words cannot describe the feeling of walking arm and arm with my new bride for hours and hours around the ancient streets of Rome.

On the Cusp

Jenny and I are currently in Ventura, California for the wedding of our dear friends Scott and Natalie. We stopped to see the Grand Canyon on the way here, and all I can say is "breath taking." Things are going great, and we fly out for Rome on Monday morning. We are on the cusp of the greatest adventure of our lives...

Thought of the Day: It is a wonderful thing to be in Christ Jesus. There is no wrath remaining for those who are. Even if the worst should happen, it is for your good. All of the omnipotence in the universe is working for you good if you are in Christ Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. -- Romans 8:1

We know that for those who love God all things work together for good... -- Romans 8:23

The Myanmar Example

There is a wonderful example of active non-violent resistance and protest going on in Myanmar right now. Of course, our western media is too busy telling us about OJ Simpson and Brittany Spears to say much about it, but don't you miss it. It is one of the most amazing and hopeful things going on in the world currently.

Check it out here.

Books to Look Forward To

Some books that will be coming out soon that I am looking forward to:

The Supremacy of Christ in a Post-Modern World by Piper, Voddie Baucham, D. A. Carson, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and David Wells

Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll

Pierced for Our Transgressions by Jeffery, Ovey, and Sach

The Future of Justification by John Piper...this is Piper's response to N.T. Wright, a man I also look up to tremendously. Wright and Piper are both tremendously Godly and wise men, and this book should be worth your time. I might suggest you read some of N.T. Wright first before reading this book.

Also, rumor has that Tim Keller just finished writing his first book since the '80s! His new book, which is still without title, focuses on "defeaters" that float around in many people's minds that keep them from seriously considering Christianity. I can't wait to see it in print form within a year.

Poverty and Terrorism

African Anglican Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu weighs in on terrorism and peacemaking:

"The global "war on terror" can't be won if people are living in "desperate" conditions. You can never win a war against terror as long as there are conditions in the world that make people desperate -- poverty, disease, ignorance, et cetera...I think people are beginning to realize that you can't have pockets of prosperity in one part of the world and huge deserts of poverty and deprivation and think that you can have a stable and secure world."

Sam Adams

A dear friend of mine (Sam Adams) is doing an internship in Rwanda with Food for the Hungry and will be sharing stories and thoughts on his blog Be Prepared to Lose a Hero. It should make for interesting reading.

Flesh of my Flesh

As of September 2, 2007, I am now a married man. At long last, I entered into blessed union with the beautiful Jenny Uhre (now Jenny Ballard!) and we began our pilgrimage together. It is the highest honor of my life to be married to such a beautiful, charming, talented, compassionate, and godly woman. I do not know of a man more fortunate than myself at this moment.

On September 24 Jenny and I will leave for our honeymoon and vision trip from Las Angeles. The first two stops (Rome and Switzerland) are for a more traditional honeymoon, and the last two stops (Nepal and Indonesia) are to pray and think through the possibility of doing mission work in one or both of those countries in the future. We will be using this blog to post pictures, updates, and thoughts about our travels and sojournings. That's right, I said we. As of this moment this blog is no longer mine alone, but also belongs to Jenny. You should get pretty excited about seeing some posts from my foxy little lady in the near future. Also, please offer up prayers for us as we travel and and make decisions about our future.

Peace and Love,
Jason

Roots

The church plant that I am a part of here in Boulder just launched their website. Check it out:

Roots Church ... a redemptive community living in the Way of Jesus in Boulder, Colorado.

War No More

In light of the New Testament's radical teachings about enemy love, the global communion of believers, Jesus's command to love our neighbor, and my belief that our journeys should, as much as possible, resemble the destination - which is a place where swords are beaten into plowshears and where they shall learn war no more - I am opposed to war in all forms, and for all reasons. I believe that Jesus' example of willingly suffering evil in order to overcome that evil is the only way out of the vicious cycle of wars and more wars, and I believe that the so called "just war" theory has gone over like a lead balloon. I insist that to resort to warfare, even for a moral end, is to adopt a means inconsistent with the Christian’s calling. The Christian Gospel is primarily a message of love and peace, and militarism & imperialism stand in stark contrast to the way of Jesus. For others who have similar feelings or leanings, and to all those who have died in this most dispicable of human conventions, I dedicate this post. While it is not my aim here to make a exhaustive argument for Christian active nonviolence, I still think there are some things to say about it in regards to recent events.

President Bush's war advisor said on Friday that current conditions in the world mean that we should consider reinstating the draft. It is my belief that the appropriate response of a Christian is "conscientiously object." Here is how to make sure that you are registered as a conscientious objector with Social Services:

1. Write a statement of beliefs that explain why, how, when, where, etc. that you became a CO. List anything that could have influenced your beliefs against war and killing, such as religion, films, books, events you attended, etc.

2. Find 3 people who know you very well who can write a letter on your behalf supporting your beliefs as a CO.

3. Write a letter to CCCO explaining that you are a CO, keep a copy for yourself, with the receipt of it being mailed. Keep that letter from us as part of your CO file. You can send your CO file to the Center on Conscience & War to be archived.

4. Compile all of these documents and get them notarized

You need to build a paper trail and document everything possible that could help define you as a person who could not go to war. If you go to any anti-war events, document them somehow as proof that you went, keep the flyers, have your photo taken at the event, etc. They basically want to see that you are genuinely opposed to war, and not just somebody who doesn't want to fight. You must be opposed to all wars, and this doesn't mean you can't use violence in personal self defense.

A few quotes to ponder about Christian opposition to war:

"I wish that Christian men would insist more and more on the unrighteousness of war, believing that Christianity means no sword, no cannon, no bloodshed, and that if a nation is driven to fight in its own defense, Christianity stands by to weep and to intervense as soon as possible, and not to join in the cruel shouts which celebrate an enemy’s slaughter." -- Charles Spurgeon

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

A few resources:
Christian Pacifism and Social Justice
Every Church a Peace Church
A Force More Powerful
A Practical Christian Pacifism
Christiam Pacifism
CCCO
The New Testament

Peace Rehabilitation Center

Peace Rehabilitation Center is a community of sisters and brothers in Kathmandu, Nepal...and around the world committed together to the rescue and rehabilitation of Nepali young people who have been stolen or sold - "trafficked" - in South Asia's burgeoning sex industry.

The poverty and poor educational system of rural Nepal contribute greatly to high levels of sex trafficking. Seeking a better life, women and girls of an increasingly young age are easily lured into domestic prostitution or international trafficking by false promises of marriage or employment, sometimes offered by friends or relatives. Many migrate of their own accord in hopes of improving their economic circumstances, but once abroad find few opportunities and turn to prostitution. The majority of trafficked Nepali women will never see their families or homes again and have little chance of escape or rescue. Most will perish due to abuse, illness, abandonment, harsh brothel conditions, and/or the effects of STDs and HIV/AIDS. At present, sources estimate that 200,000 Nepali women work in Indian brothels, and that 70% of them are HIV+.

Founded on Director Shanta Sapkota's conviction that "love is big medicine," PRC assists in brothel rescue through its involvement in a Nepali and Indian NGO network. Women who are connected with PRC by this and other NGOs, government officials, or families receive counseling and care as they heal from the trauma of trafficking, prostitution and repatriation. In the family-centered atmosphere of PRC’s rehabilitation home, women and girls are given an opportunity to complete their education and trained in literacy, health, hygiene, nutrition and micro-credit. As possible, they are prepared for reintegration into their home communities.

PRC also sponsors a separate home for young girls who have suffered abuse or abandonment and are at greater risk of exposure to traffickers. Here, they complete their education and receive the love, care and discipline that will give them confidence to succeed once they are ready to live on their own. As many of the repatriated Nepali women suffer from AIDS, PRC staff trains women’s families in long-term terminal care of AIDS patients. If a family cannot or will not provide care for a woman, PRC cares for her until her death. PRC also provides counseling, medical assistance and education about HIV/AIDS to other community groups and HIV+ individuals.

I commend this organization to you heartily. My fiance Jenny and I will be going there on our honeymoon, and may very possibly be moving to Nepal in the spring to help Shanta with this tremendous work. The PRC is pushing back the darkness, and if you want to use your money to push back the darkness this would be an organization to consider supporting.

Trading Pleasures

"Marcus Aurelius believed that the course of wisdom consisted of learning to trade easy pleasures for more complex and challenging ones. I worry about a culture that bit by bit trades off the challenging pleasures of art for the easy comforts of entertainment. And that is exactly what is happening..." -- Dana Gioia, American poet and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Worth taking a look at:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/bcf/bcf.htm

The Gospel Coalition

I hereby proclaim this to be the best new website in the past three years. If you are a follower of Christ, it is worth your time. It represents the life work and thought for many of the leading Christians of this and the previous generation...men such as Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll and many others.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/

War against War

"We earnestly war against war. I wish that Christian men would insist more and more on the unrighteousness of war, believing that Christianity means no sword, no cannon, no bloodshed, and that if a nation is driven to fight in its own defense, Christianity stands by to weep and to intervense as soon as possible, and not to join in the cruel shouts which celebrate an enemy’s slaughter. Let us always be on the side of right. Today, then, my brethren, I beg you to join with me in seeking renewal. Now is the time for a man to buckle on his harness, and bestir himself." -- Charles H. Spurgeon, 19th century reformed Baptist pastor and theologian

Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Halleluyah, or Alleluia, is a transliteration of the Hebrew word הַלְלוּיָהּ . Halleluyah is a composite of Hallelu and Yah (Jah). It literally translates from Hebrew as "Praise Yah, [third-person plural]!" or simply "Praise Yah!" Yah is the shortened form of the name Yahweh(Jehova). For most Christians, "Hallelujah" is considered the most joyful word of praise to God, rather than an injunction to praise Him. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible(mainly in the book of Psalms (e.g. 113-118), where it starts and concludes a number of Psalms) and four times in Greek transliteration in Revelation.

Our Third World Brethren

I've been reading the book The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins which reflects on the rising numbers of Christians in third world countries and in the global south matched simultaneously by the decline of Christians in the western world. It is a fascinating book, and it has caused me to praise God for things like Westminster Theological College in Uganda as it seems like very soon our brothers and sisters in Africa, Asia, and Latin America will be leading the charge for the cause of Christ in the world of this age. Christianity started as an Eastern religion, moved to the West, and is quickly moving back to the East again. Already, when you think of an average Christian, you should not think of a modern and "enlightened" American or European , but rather an African shepherd, an Asian businessman, or a Latin American farmer.

Religion V. Gospel

By Pastor Mark Driscoll

Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.

Religion has good people & bad people. Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.

Religion values a birth family. Gospel values a new birth.

Religion depends on what I do. Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.

Religion claims that sanctification justifies me. Gospel claims that justification enables sanctification.

Religion has the goal to get from God. Gospel has the goal to get God.

Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. Gospel sees hardship as sanctified affliction.

Religion is about me. Gospel is about Jesus.

Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. Gospel believes that being honest is the key.

Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus' work.

Religion sees Jesus as the means. Gospel sees Jesus as the end.

Religion ends in pride or despair. Gospel ends in humble joy.

Be Thankful

In my first week at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless I have learned and noticed many things. It would take more time than I have to write and more time than you have to read to document all my thoughts and musings here on this blog, but I thought one thing in particular was worth pointing out.

Homeless people, perhaps understandably, complain a lot. They complain about their health problems. They complain about their relationship problems. They complain about their financial problems. On and on it goes. All of this might seem like a bit of what you would expect at a homeless shelter, but when I went to my second (or is it third) job at Starbucks, I found that people there, surprisingly enough, complain as well. People complain about the way their coffee drink was made. Coworkers complain if we are too busy. Coworkers complain if we are too slow. I hear people complaining about their kids. I hear people complaining about their jobs. Even away from the homeless shelter, on and on it goes.

Then it dawned on me: it seems to be human nature to complain regardless how well life is actually going. From the lowest of the low, to people who can regularly pay $5 for a cup of coffee, people are, by and large, whiners. Why? Do we like drama that much? Do we want attention? Does pitty make us feel that good? Are we that egocentric? Are we unaware that there are people who are actually suffering and aren't having to invent problems to complain about? Silliness I call it. The whole business is silliness.

This is your friendly reminder to be thankful and grateful this week. Life is rarely as bad as we think it is, and almost never as bad as it could be. We have much to be grateful for. I could probably go on some poetical spill about the splendor of the sunrise and the simple pleasure of taste buds, but you know that I am right without another diatribe from me. Just be thankful.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. " -St. Paul

New Job

I started a new job this week at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless. As of right now, I am working as part of the programs staff. After one week, I feel very blessed to have been given this job and opportunity. Soli Deo Gloria.

John Piper's Prayer for His Church

O Lord, by the truth of your Word, and the power of your Spirit and the ministry of your body, build men and women . . .

Who don't love the world more than God,
who don't care if they make much money,
who don't care if they own a house,
who don't care if they have a new car or two cars,
who don't need recent styles,
who don't care if they get famous,
who don't miss steak or fancy fare,
who don't expect that life should be comfortable and easy,
who don't measure truth with their finger in the wind,
who don't get paralyzed by others' disapproval,
who don't return evil for evil,
who don't hold grudges,
who don't gossip,
who don't twist the truth,
who don't brag or boast,
who don't whine or use body language to get pity,
who don't criticize more than praise,
who don't hang out in cliques,
who don't eat too much or exercise too little;

But who are ablaze for God,
who are utterly God-besotted,
who are filled with the Holy Spirit,
who strive to know the height and depth of Christ's love,
who are crucified to the world and dead to sin,
who are purified by the Word and addicted to righteousness,
who are mighty in memorizing and using the Scriptures,
who keep the Lord's Day holy and refreshing,
who are broken by the consciousness of sin,
who are thrilled by the wonder of free grace,
who are stunned into humble silence by the riches of God's glory,
who are persevering constantly in prayer,
who are ruthless in self-denial,
who are fearless in public witness to Christ's Lordship,
who are able to unmask error and blow away doctrinal haze,
who are tough in standing for the truth,
who are tender in touching hurting people,
who are passionate about reaching the peoples who have no church,
who are pro-life for the sake of babies and moms and dads and the glory of God,
who are keepers of all their promises, including marriage vows,
who are content with what they have and trusting the promises of God,
who are patient and kind and meek when life is hard.

Amen

I Can Relate

"The people who most anger me are those who believe exactly what I myself believe, but fail to see the problems and difficulties, the sheer struggle, involved in so doing. "

--loosely quoted from Herman Bavinck (1854-1921), Dutch Reformed Theologian

The Quotable A'Kempis

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."

"First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. "

“How seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves”

"For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey; while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step. "

"Constantly choose rather to want less, than to have more."

Thomas A'Kempis -- German Christian mystic & religious author (1380 - 1471)

Sadhu Sundar Singh

Sundar Singh was born into an important landowning Sikh family in Patiala State in northern India. Sundar Singh's mother took him week by week to sit at the feet of a Sadhu, an ascetic holy man, who lived in the jungle some miles away, but she also sent him to a Christian mission school where he could learn English.

The death of Sundar Singh's mother, when he was fourteen, plunged him into violence and despair. He turned on the missionaries, persecuted their converts, and ridiculed their faith. In final defiance of their religion, he bought a Bible and burned it page by page in his home compound while his friends watched. The same night he went to his room determined to commit suicide on a railway line.

That night, in a dream, Christ appeared and spoke to Sundar in Hindustani, "How long are you going to persecute me? I died for you. For you I gave my life. You were praying to know the right way; why don't you take it? I am the Way." The next morning Sundar woke up and announced his intention to follow Christ to his father. His father pleaded and demanded that he give up this absurd "conversion." When he refused, Sher Singh gave a farewell feast for his son, then denounced him and expelled him from the family. Several hours later, Sundar realised that his food had been poisoned, and his life was saved only by the help of a nearby Christian doctor. On his sixteenth birthday he was publicly baptised in the parish church in Simla, a town high in the Himalayan foothills. For some time previously he had been staying at the Christian Leprosy Home at Sabathu serving the leprosy patients there. It was to remain one of his most beloved bases and he returned there after his baptism.

Then, in October 1906, he set out from it in quite a new way. He walked onto the road, a tall, good-looking, vigorous teenager, wearing a yellow robe and turban. Everyone stared at him as he passed. The yellow robe was the "uniform" of a Hindu sadhu, traditionally an ascetic devoted to the gods, who either begged his way along the roads or sat, silent, remote, and often filthy, meditating in the jungle or some lonely place. The young Sundar Singh had also chosen the sadhu's way, but he would be a very different sort of sadhu.

"I am not worthy to follow in the steps of my Lord," he said, "but, like Him, I want no home, no possessions. Like Him I will belong to the road, sharing the suffering of my people, eating with those who will give me shelter, and telling all men of the love of God."

The months and years ahead were full of many hardships...his feet became torn from the rough tracks, he was stoned, arrested, and slept in a way-side hut with an unexpected cobra for company. the little Christian communities of the north were referring to him as "the apostle with the bleeding feet."

One day, while in Bombay, a brahmin had collapsed in the hot, crowded carriage and, at the next station, the Anglo-Indian stationmaster came rushing with a cup of water from the refreshment room. The brahmin -- a high-caste Hindu -- thrust it away in horror. He needed water, but he could only accept it in his own drinking vessel. When that was brought, he drank and was revived. In the same way, Sundar Singh realised, India would not widely accept the gospel of Jesus offered in Western guise. That, he recognised, was why many listeners had responded to him in his Indian sadhu's robe.

In December 1909 he began training for the Christian ministry at the Anglican college in Lahore. Although Singh had been baptized by an Anglican priest, he was ignorant of the ecclesisatical culture and conventions of Anglicanism. His inability to adapt to Anglican life hindered him from fitting in with the routines of academic study. Much in the college course seemed to Singh to be irrelevant to the gospel as India needed to hear it. Singh was told he must now discard his sadhu's robe and wear "respectable" European clerical dress; use formal Anglican worship; sing English hymns; and never preach outside his parish without special permission. With deep sadness he left the college in 1910, still dressed in his yellow robe, and in 1912 began his annual trek into Tibet as the winter snows began to melt on the Himalayan tracks and passes.

His years as an evangelist and teacher in Tibet and Northern India were filled with hardships, difficulties, and persecutions, but he was often rescued by members of the "Sunnyasi Mission" -- secret disciples of Jesus wearing their Hindu markings, whom he claimed to have found all over India. As Sundar Singh moved through his twenties his ministry widened greatly, and long before he was thirty years old his name and picture were familiar all over the Christian world. He was, though, always human, approachable and humble, with a sense of fun and a love of nature. This, with his "illustrations" from ordinary life, gave his addresses great impact. Many people said, "He not only looks like Jesus, he talks like Jesus must have talked." Yet all his talks and his personal speech sprang out of profound early morning meditation, especially on the Gospels. In 1918 he made a long tour of South India and Ceylon, and the following year he was invited to Burma, Malaya, China, and Japan.

Sadhu continued preaching the Gospel of Jesus where ever he could for the next decade, but always there burned in him a desire to see the Gospel reach the people of Tibet. In April 1929, Sadhu made one last trip into Tibet. He has never been seen or heard from since.

I Hope Her Name is Really Perseverance

A Sad Indictment

It is a sad indictment of our culture that the news of the arrest of Paris Hilton is getting more thought, attention, and comment than the news of Paul Wolfowitz's resignation as president of World Bank. Paris is inconsequential. Wolfowitz's resignation has tremendous implications for U.S foreign policy, the development of third world countries, the ending of extreme poverty, global political tensions, and on and on. It is hard to believe that most Americans don't even know who Paul Wolfowitz is. End of vent.

Let's Have Another Round

I once wrote a post on alcohol (read it here) that started a good conversation on the subject. I believe The Evangelical Outpost's latest entry adds some valuable comments to the conversation.

A Swift Kick in the Pants

I consider myself parr of the theologically Reformed circle (I believe in all five doctrines of grace, covenant theology, etc.), and as such, I sometimes need a good kick in the pants. Peter Leithart provides just such a kick for me now...

"One of my recurring frustrations with recent debates in the Reformed world is a widespread failure of theological imagination. Too many seem to operate on the assumption that we have everything already figured out; we have all possible categories and positions ready to hand. All we need do is deploy these categories on whatever happens our way. It'll fit, Procrustes says.

Thus, it is seriously proposed that someone is either on the road to Rome or the Road to Geneva - with no possibility of a third (or fourth, or fifth) destination, with no possibility that there might be something in between (though in between is where much of the Christian world lives). And if I suggest that we Reformed might still have something to learn from the Bible about justification, then I must be Rabbinic or Roman Catholic - there simply is no other alternative. "

I realize that I have opperated this way often in my spiritual formation and development. Yet, despite all that we know (and, by the grace of God, we know many things) we do not yet know all things. We have a lot yet to repent of and a lot yet to learn. Soli Deo Gloria.

Sweet Eugene's New Book

Eugene Peterson's third book in his series on Spiritual Theology, The Jesus Way, is now out. I must admit, I have been waiting for this one. This series of books will probably be Mr. Peterson's magnum opus, and if The Jesus Way is half as good as his first two instalments in this series (Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places and Eat This Book) then it will be well worth your time.

Publisher's Description: A way of sacrifice. A way of failure. A way on the margins. A way of holiness. All of these ways prepared the “way of the Lord” that became incarnate and complete in Jesus. But somewhere along the line, have we lost the way? In The Jesus Way Eugene Peterson continues his stimulating conversation in spiritual theology, considering all the ways that Jesus is the Way compared to the distorted ways the American church today has chosen to follow.

Arguing that the way Jesus leads and the way we follow are symbiotic, Peterson begins with a study of how the ways of those who came before Christ — Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Isaiah of the Exile — revealed and prepared the “way of the Lord” that became complete in Jesus. He then challenges the ways of the contemporary American church, showing in stark relief how what we have chosen to focus on — consumerism, celebrity, charisma, and so forth — obliterates what is unique in the Jesus way.

Get it here.

A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna

On April 18, five Muslims entered a Christian publishing company and killed three believers in the southeastern province of Malatya. Two of the victims were Turkish converts from Islam and the third man was a German citizen who had lived in Turkey for 10 years. News reports said four of the attackers admitted that the killings were motivated by both “nationalist and religious feelings.”

Below is link to a letter received by The Voice of the Martyrs from a church in Turkey. This letter contains a description of the torture suffered by the martyred believers, and the information is graphic in nature.

http://www.persecution.com/news/index.cfm?action=fullstory&newsID=511

Check This Out

This may be the best Christian bookstore that I know of:

http://www.wtsbooks.com/

It is really worth checking out.

Following Jesus and Practicing Yoga

I have had observed some interesting and widely varied Christian responses to the practice of yoga. I have met some who are devout practitioners of this ancient Eastern body wisdom, and I have also been with a Christian who would not walk into a store that sold yoga mats and DVDs because it was "Satanic."

Yoga, at its core, is a way of exercising and disciplining the body to prepare for long periods of meditation and prayer. Certainly it has its roots in Eastern religions, especially Hinduism, but might it provide benefits to Christians who would like to pray with less distraction and meditate on the things of Christ at greater length than they are presently able? I propose that it might indeed. I, myself, do not currently practice yoga with any regularity, but I have done it before, and I can see where it might be quite useful. But, before I go any further, let me take a paragraph or so to respond to the most often heard qualm about Christians practicing yoga.

The main objection I hear from Christians about the practice of yoga goes something like, "Christians shouldn't do yoga because it is part of the Hindu religion," or "Christians shouldn't do yoga because it is the equivalent of practicing another religion and could be inviting some dark spiritual elements into their life, and is therefore a sin." The best way I know to respond to these arguments against a Christian practice of yoga goes something like this:

Pagans, Muslims, and others have studied astronomy for centuries for spiritual reasons that are contrary to the teachings of Christianity, yet Christians have benefited tremendously from adopting these advancements in the study of the cosmos. Should Christians avoid astronomy because of some previous associations with other religions? Mathematics was studied by Muslims for centuries to show how Allah had created the world with order. Should Christians abandon certain fields of mathematics because of their historical association with Islam? Certain tribal groups use different plants for their "spiritual" value in healing certain ailments, and modern medicine has found that many of these tribal remedies are indeed helpful. Should Christians shun certain advancements in medicine because of their association with tribal religions and tribal spiritual beliefs? Coffee was originally used by Sufis to help them stay up late and concentrate during their night prayers. Should Christians stop drinking coffee because it was used in the prayer rituals of Sufis? A hearty "No!" to all of these questions. I could go on and on in this vein, but I think the point is made. Just because people of another faith, religion, or worldview find something useful for themselves, does not mean that it is off limits to the Christian. All things not sinful are ours in Christ. That is part of the redemption of all things. Where there is not prohibition in Scripture, there may be liberty of behavior as the conscience permits. (This is not a licence for loose living. Shame on you if you use the idea of "redeeming all things" as an opportunity for sin. Holiness is a principal teaching of Scripture, Jesus, and the Apostles.)

My conclusion then: if a Christian finds them self very easily distracted during times of prayer or meditation, developing a yoga practice may help to center the mind and enable the Christian to experience times of prayer and meditation with less interruption and with stronger focus. As long as the intention is directed Christward, I can hardly see how this would be harmful, wrong, or sinful. Certainly there is a way to practice yoga that is sinful, but there is also a way to drink orange juice that is sinful. Yoga is no more inherently sinful that astronomy, mathematics, medicine, or coffee. All things from Christ, and through Christ, and to Christ. To Him be glory forever more. Amen.

Timely Thoughts on Abortion

The following are some excerpts from John Piper's response to the Supreme Court's recent upholding of the ban on partial birth abortions. This issue is so important, and the following words so timely, I truly hope that you will read them all:

Let the Python Eat Its Tail. Amen. by John Piper

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Supreme Court in upholding the ban on partial birth abortions on April 18, 2007. It is astonishing to read the opinion (PDF). The detail with which abortion is discussed exceeded my expectation. Kennedy’s own descriptions of the various forms of abortion are explicit and extensive. Descriptions of the procedure of partial birth abortion (“intact dilation and extraction”) are given from both doctors’ and nurses’ perspectives.

For example, one nurse described the procedure on a twenty-six-week-old “fetus” as follows—and remember this is a quote from Justice Kennedy’s official Supreme Court decision:

"Dr. Haskell went in with forceps and grabbed the baby’s legs and pulled them down into the birth canal. Then he delivered the baby’s body and the arms—everything but the head. The doctor kept the head right inside the uterus. . . . The baby’s little fingers were clasping and unclasping, and his little feet were kicking. Then the doctor stuck the scissors in the back of his head, and the baby’s arms jerked out, like a startle reaction, like a flinch, like a baby does when he thinks he is going to fall. The doctor opened up the scissors, stuck a high-powered suction tube into the opening, and sucked the baby’s brains out. Now the baby went completely limp. . . . He cut the umbilical cord and delivered the placenta. He threw the baby in a pan, along with the placenta and the instruments he had just used." (p. 8)

This use of catch phrases is surely tired. “Right to choose.” “Equal rights for women.” The grandchildren of the sixties are waking up to the vagueness and danger of those phrases. Right to choose what? Anything? All laws that protect children limit the rights of moms (and dads) to choose. You can’t choose to starve them. You can’t choose to lock them in closets for three weeks. You can’t choose to abandon them. You can’t choose to strangle them five minutes after they are born.

And “equal rights for women”—equal with whom? Equal with the irresponsible dad. Dad has sex and bears no responsibility for the baby. Mom should be equally able to have sex and bear no responsibility for the baby. Young people are looking at this and saying: Something is wrong with this picture. Maybe our lives are as broken as they are because our parents have twisted their hearts and minds so deeply to justify equality in irresponsibility.

Hillary Clinton opposes the Supreme Court decision because “the rights and lives of women must be taken into account.” Yes. That is mainly what this forty-page opinion of the court does. Read it. And it will be interesting whether Senator Clinton will have any opinion about moms and dads who want to abort their little girls, but not their little boys. I think the younger generation may ask the senator: Should the life of little women be taken into account, or only big women?

I pray that ahead and behind of the delegalization of abortion will flow waves of inner repentance as we awaken to the outrage of assaulting God’s image-bearers in the very moment of his knitting them together in their mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:13).

May the python, indeed, eat its tail. Amen and Amen. I hope and pray (not nearly with the tears that I should) that abortion will one day be just as abhorable and reprehensible as slavery.

The Warnings of Jesus

As I have been reading through the Gospels lately, I have noticed that very often Jesus will issue a warning to his followers. These warnings usually take the form of "woe to you...," or "beware...," or "be on your guard...," or "watch out...," or something of this nature. As I looked at these warnings more closely, I noticed that most all of them fall into one of three catagories:

--Warnings against a love or strong desire for money and material possessions (such as Luke 6:24 – 25, Luke 12:15, Matthew 23:25)

--Warnings against a love or strong desire for fame, reputation, honor, prestige, and the praise of man (such as Matthew 6:1, Luke 6:26, Luke 11:43, Luke 20:46-47)

--Warnings against forgetting those below you...those in poverty, widows, orphans, etc. (such as Luke 11:42, Matthew 25:34-46)

It seems to me that Jesus' repeated warnings about these things should land quite strongly on us Westerners today because these seem to be exactly the things that our culture and society offer to us as things worthy of pursuit. This deserves quite a bit more meditation by each of us.

Free Tibet Protest at Everest Base Camp

(AP) Three Americans and a Tibetan-American were detained on Mount Everest on Wednesday as they called for independence for Tibet and protested against the Beijing Olympics, an activist group said.

The protest was organized by Students for a Free Tibet, which said three people were taken away after holding up a banner at a base camp on the Tibetan side of the mountain that said "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008." The fourth person detained by Chinese authorities was a cameraperson, said the group's executive director Lhadon Tethong. "One World, One Dream" is the slogan of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee will announce the route for the 2008 Olympic torch relay in Beijing on Thursday. Chinese officials have said they want to take it to the top of the world's tallest mountain on the border between Nepal and Tibet. "The Chinese government hopes to use the 2008 Olympic Games to conceal the brutality of its occupation of Tibet," Tethong said from the Nepalese capital, Katmandu.

Tethong said more than 70 Chinese climbers were in the base camp preparing for a trial climb to see if it is possible to take a torch to the top of 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) Mount Everest. "One of the key points for the Chinese in their Olympic propaganda is to show happy Tibetans. They are very much using the Olympics, so we are also using it to call for an independent Tibet," Tethong said.

China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, although many Tibetans say they were essentially an independent state for most of that time. Chinese communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951 and Beijing continues to rule the region with a heavy hand. Taking the Olympic torch to the top of Mount Everest is seen by some as way for Beijing to underscore its claims to Tibet. "The International Olympic Committee has no business promoting the Chinese government's political agenda by allowing the torch to be run through Tibet," Tethong said.

Book Review: The Last Word by N.T. Wright

I must admit that I had nearly written The Last Word off before I even began it because of N.T. Wright's association with "The New Perspectives on Paul." Am I ever glad that I didn't. Though traces of the "New Perspctives" can be seen within the pages of this book, it has been one of the most thought provoking, eye opening, challenging, helpful, and pleasurable books I have read in a while. In fact, I declare it the best book that I have read this year.

Wright's intention with the book is to help reader's come to grips with what is meant by "the authority of scripture" and how disciples of Christ can live under this authority. Wright does a wonderful job of defending and defining this important piece of Christian life, and without giving too much away let me just say that he gives much more than the typical fundamentalist treatment of the subject. He finds a way that steers the dangerous course between fundamentalism and liberalism and actually gives us a doctrine of the authority of scripture that is robust, well thought out, helpful, and that makes use of Christian tradition. Also, Wright's understanding and analysis of contemporary and historical thought and its influence on culture is masterful. He may be the best cultural observer of our times who calls himself a follower of Jesus. If you only read one book about the Bible, read this one. If you read two, then add Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson. If you read three, then add Scripture Alone by R.C. Sproul.

Get it here.

To Some it Has Been Given

It is my opinion, that the following men are (in order) the best preachers/spiritual teachers of our generation (based on orthodoxy, orthopraxy, awareness of the culture and times, talent for public speaking, and giftedness in teaching) :

1. John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN.
2. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, NY.
3. Matt Chandler or The Village Church near Dallas, TX.
4. Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seatle, WA.

If you are not familiar with these men, I commend them to you. They are a tremendous blessing to the church in America during this generation, and have been instrumental in my spiritual formation and growth.

She Said Yes!

On the 28th of March, in the 2007th year of our Lord, in the mountains of Colorado, as the snow fell softly on our tent, Jennifer Uhre agreed to be my wife. I am now officially the happiest man in the world.

We have created the following blog to keep everyone up to date on our planning and progress, and we will also post pictures soon. So add it to your favorites and check it often.

http://jasonandjennywedding.blogspot.com/

An Emcee's Gentle Word

Curtis "Voice" Allen was invited to John Piper's church, Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC), to share his testimony and to perform last October. All seemed to go well until word spread that John Piper had a rapper rap at his church during worship and people flipped out. Because of his performance, many people even called his conversion into question.

It would be understandable if Mr. Allen was upset, or even if he let loose a little well founded criticism of the current state of evangelicalism in America, but instead he wrote this article. It is a response written from a humility I fear that I may never find. It almost brings me to tears. God grant me and other Christians to respond to adversity and criticism in such a way as this.

Again, read his response here: An Emcee's Gentle Word

Also check out other thoughts on the situation from Justin Taylor and Steve McCoy.

Who Was St. Patrick?

Sometime around 400 AD, Patrick, a sixteen-year-old Briton, was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. He had previously rejected the Christian faith of his parents, but during his six years of captivity, he repented and gave his heart to God, praying constantly as he tended sheep alone in the hills. When he escaped and returned to Britain, Patrick was far behind his peers in terms of education and never really caught up, but he worked hard to receive the theological training he needed so he could return to the Irish as a missionary--to the very people who had enslaved him:

I must take this decision [to return to the Irish], disregarding any risks
involved, and make known "the gifts of God and his everlasting consolation."
Neither must we fear any such risk in faithfully preaching God's name boldly in every place, so that even after my death a spiritual legacy may be left for my
brethren and my children, so many people in their thousands whom I have baptized
in the Lord.

Thanks to Patrick's love and service, within a hundred years, the country was transformed from an illiterate, pagan nation of war, slavery, and human sacrifice to the guardian of the literature of Western civilization as Rome crumbled. After the dust settled, it was the Irish who traveled into Europe to plant the seeds of spiritual renewal and learning through the creation of monasteries that protected the ancient manuscripts and re-evangelized Europe.

God began all this through a man who felt decidedly unqualified for service, but who loved God completely, believed He is true, and was willing to give his life for others:

[God] stirred up me, a fool, from the midst of those who are considered wise and
learned in the practice of law, as well as "persuasive in their speech" and in
every other way and, ahead of these others, inspired me who is so despised by
the world, to be fit to help (if only I could!) faithfully and "in fear and
trembling" and without any complaint that race of people to which the love of
Christ drew me and thus spend the rest of my life, if only I might prove worthy;
simply to serve them in humility and truth.

Patrick was adamant, particularly at the end of his Confession, that nobody who reads his words should ever attribute the work he describes to his own abilities and power. But rather, they should glorify God who was the One working in him and through him, a humble former slave. He reminds us that everything accomplished through him was a gift from God. The irony of this holiday is that Patrick would be horrified to learn that not only is there a special day now devoted to him, but that day is cluttered with leprechauns, gold, and good-luck charms--the kind of paganism he worked so tirelessly to rescue people from in the first place.

Instead, I pray you'll see this day as a reminder of the value of bringing Christ to the lost through prayer, suffering, sacrifice, and loving your enemies. And above all, I pray it's a reminder of the value and glory of God Himself who loved a small country of barbarians enough to make sure even they would come to know Him.

So let Patrick's words now be ours:

At last I came here to the Irish gentiles to preach the gospel...Now I was able
to hand over the freedom of my birth for the benefit of others. And should I
prove worthy, I am ready and willing to give up my own life, without hesitation
for his name.

(I encourage you all to read Patrick's story in his own words in The Confession of St. Patrick and see how the God he loved changed the world through him in How the Irish Saved Civilization.)

Source

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock
.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.