A Heartwarming Project

Here is a really heartwarming project that links two generations learning to speak and teach English with technology as an aid. The teenagers are in Brazil while the English speakers they wanted to learn with are from Chicago.

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Midweek Meditation: "Marks of a Christian" - Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea (329-379 AD) is a significant figure in the fourth century. Revered by both the Eastern and the Western Church, he had played a huge role in defending the doctrine of the Trinity, Christ, and the creeds that have defined Christianity through the ages. For more on Basil, you can read my review of a recent book on him here. Below is a short and pertinent description of the basic marks of what it means to be a Christian.

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"What is the distinguishing mark of a Christian? Faith working by love. What is the mark of faith? Unhesitating conviction of the truth of the inspired words, unshaken by any argument either based on the plea of physical necessity or masquerading in the guise of piety.

What is the mark of a believer? To hold fast by such conviction in the strength of what Scripture says and to dare neither to set it at naught nor to add to it. For if what is not of faith is sin, as the apostle says, and faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of God, then everything that is outside inspired Scripture, being not of faith, is sin.

What is the mark of love towards God? Keeping His commandments with a view to His glory. What is the mark of love towards one's neighbor? Not to seek one's own good, but the good of the loved one for the benefit of his soul and body.

What is the mark of a Christian? To be born anew in baptism of water and Spirit. What is the mark of him that is born of water? As Christ died to sin once, that he should thus be dead and unmoved by any sin, as it is written: 'All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away, that we should no longer be in bondage to sin.'

What is the mark of him that is born of the Spirit? That he should be, according to the measure given him, that very thing of which he was born, as it is written: 'That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.'

What is the mark of him that is born again? To put off the old man with his doings and lusts, and to put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of Him that created him; as it is written: 'As many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.'

What is the mark of a Christian? To be cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit, in the blood of Christ, to perfect holiness in the fear of God and love of Christ, and not to have spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but to be holy and without blemish, and so to eat the body of Christ and drink His blood. 'For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself.'

What is the mark of those who eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord? To keep in perpetual memory Him who died for us and rose again.

What is the mark of those that keep such a memory? To live unto themselves no longer, but unto Him Who died for them and rose again.

What is the mark of a Christian? That his righteousness should abound in everything, more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, according to the measure of the teaching of the Lord in the gospel.

What is the mark of a Christian? To love one another, even as Christ also loved us.

What is the mark of a Christian? To see the Lord always before him.

What is the mark of a Christian? To watch each night and day and in the perfection of pleasing God to be ready, knowing that the Lord cometh at an hour he thinketh not."

BookPastor >> "People Raising" (William P. Dillon)

Raising funds is less about money but more about the people we are investing in. This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on May 7th, 2014. 

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TITLE: People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Funds
AUTHOR: William P. Dillon
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2012, (240 pages).

Fund raising again? If you are familiar with non-profits, you will be familiar with the constant request for money and donations by various organizations who call themselves non-profits. From educational institutions to ecological interest groups; school functions to various altruistic purposes, fund-raising is a necessary evil to some but a critical source of survival for many. For all the great plans and powerful visions, the mission will fail if there is no fuel to sustain its activities. For many Christian organizations, just the word "fund-raising" would lead to a 50% decline in interest both ways. For the one raising funds, it seems more like a chore. For the prospect being approached, it appears to be another of those money-seeking requests in the name of charity.

That is why this book is such an important contribution to change our mindsets, our motivational skills, and our master strategies to help fulfill the bigger picture of any non-profit organization or group. William Dillon is a founder and president of an organization called "People Raising." This group provides guidance and training to help non-profits, especially Christian organizations to raise support for their work. In an aptly named book, raising funds is secondary. Raising people is primary. This book is now into its second edition aims to show us that money should not be the key focus. The key focus must be to build people up for the kingdom of God.

Midweek Meditation: "Dare to Believe"

A poem by an anonymous person. It is worth reflecting upon.

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You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.

So:

You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.

Then:

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.

Dare To Believe:

That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it’s more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

BookPastor >> "Journey Toward Justice" (Nicholas Wolterstorff)

We have often fought for human rights and versions of justice from a Western angle. What about making a journey to the South to learn of a different perspective of justice? This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on May 28th, 2014.


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TITLE: Journey toward Justice: Personal Encounters in the Global South (Turning South: Christian Scholars in an Age of World Christianity)
AUTHOR: Nicholas Wolterstorff
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013, (272 pages).

Called a "biographical journey" rather than an academic treatise on justice, renowned author Nicholas Wolterstorff shares about what it means to begin justice from the "perspective of the wronged" instead of a distant concept about rights. Recalling his first time in South Africa in 1975, a country in the throes of apartheid, the author was stunned about how injustice can happen so blatantly. In the Middle East, he faced the problems of the Palestinians, in particular 150 Palestinians crying out for justice. "Self-perceived benevolence" can become an "instrument of oppression." What turned the nail on its head is how Wolterstorff saw the way the oppressed responded not directly to the small injustices inflicted on them, but how they yearn for a larger form of justice. Wolterstorff coins the former as "reactive justice" while the latter as "primary justice." Reactive justice is permission given for those who have been wrongfully bullied or abused. In other words, the one wronged automatically has the "permission rights" to seek amends. This is most evident in the author's trip to Honduras where despite the laws set in place, the enforcement is sorely lacking. Primary justice on the other hand goes much farther. It is about stopping the primary injustice and undoing the effects of the injustice. The two-pronged approach of stopping primary injustice and promoting primary justice are two sides of the same coin. Wolterstorff sees a strong emphasis on primary justice for the Afrikaners and the Palestinians.

Midweek Meditation: "Inspiring Others" + "Opportunity"

Here is a gem from the late Stephen Covey.

"I have always taught that the first imperative of a leader is to inspire others. When you realize that 'inspire' means to breathe life into another's dreams, and that the opposite, 'expire' means to cease to breathe, those words come to life. By learning to use words that inspire, you enable others to achieve their dreams. Conversely, by using words that expire, you disable others' hopes and aspirations.

Another example is 'opportunity.' I believe that effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity-minded. The root of opportunity is port, meaning the entryway by water into a city or place of business. In earlier days, when the tide and winds were right and the port opened, it allowed entry to do commerce, to visit, or to invade and conquer. But only those who recognized the opening could take advantage of the open port, or opportunity." (Stephen Covey writing in Foreword of the book by Kevin Hall, Aspire, New York, NY: William Morrow, 2010, xii)


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BookPastor >> "Letters to a Young Pastor" (Calvin Miller)

TITLE: Letters to a Young Pastor
AUTHOR: Calvin Miller
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishers, 2011, (256 pages).

This book comprises 35 letters that flow out of the life of an experienced pastor, who personally learned through the school of hard knocks. In discipling a young pastor, he covers five key areas any budding pastor ought to learn, especially at the onset of ministry. The first words in the book, "Walk with me" is an invitation for the young pastor to continue the journey of learning. Graduating from seminary or Bible school does not constitute the end of a theological education. It marks the beginning of how one puts theory to practice, to hone not just the skills needed for pastoral work but to grow as a person. As a wise guide, Miller, a Professor as well as a respected pastor teaches with humour without becoming too "preachy."

First and foremost is the question of identity. Beginning with a story of how one preacher prefers to clothe himself with copied sermons and duplicated mannerisms, one must be authentic. In other words, authenticity means that even after peeling away the layers of a person, the very core inside reflects the same outside. The failure of many pastors begin in the failure to love. In fact, that is what grieving the Holy Spirit is all about, according to Francis Schaeffer. One is called to a congregation regardless of its size. With the call, there is a need for passion. For example, one preaches not because one have to, but because one loves to. The love to preach is a call in itself. Whether one's Church or ministry is significant or not is not how the world sees it but how God sees it. Reputation is key as as it is linked to behaviour. Discouragement, depression, and despondency are the threats to effective pastoral ministry. Learning to be honest and open is crucial. He also addresses the issue of eros and agape warning about temptations of the sexual kind. The role of a pastor goes beyond the Church. It includes being a father-priest at home to one's children.

The second theme is about one's parish. In terms of size, is it the small Church or is it like what John Wesley famously said: "The world is my parish?" In administration, pastors need to learn to look at ministry as a team. Some things are best learned by serving, like changing diapers. One serves not hooked on the narcotic of success. One serves together as a community in spite of failure. Take time to differentiate between putting resources into building up a fragile image versus creating and building a vision for the future. The chapter on "never resign till Tuesday" is a fascinating chapter about limiting one to a six-day workweek. Use Mondays to process Sundays. If there be any drastic activity, do it on a Tuesday instead. It is also important to get rid of "safe and sameness" mentality. In relationships, Miller shares about a very difficult time when he was planning to resign. A wise counsel from a friend was a act of saving grace that enabled his parish to grow in the pastor-parish relationship.

The third theme is about discipleship and to learn to work in teams. He gives tips about how to avoid getting stuck in the rut; avoiding the success syndrome; and building trust, even with the most difficult people.

Section Four touches on the preparation, the delivery, and the homiletics of sermons. Telling stories, tailoring brevity, and cultivating listen-ability are the three hallmarks of a good delivery. He provides tips on avoiding potholes that can stumble a young pastor.

Finally, the key to spiritual health is to be conformed to Christ. The problem with conforming to the world or human preferences is the restrictions that come with it. He addresses four demons that hem us in. The demon of ignorance tempts one to look for answers in all the wrong places. The demon of heredity locks one into an archaic view of self. The demon of age lets our youth gets in the way of maturity. The demon of inferiority keeps us from taking a bold step of faith.

The 35 short letters are written with wit and wisdom. Readers will find a lot of frank comments as if Miller is speaking directly to us. The humour within and the personal stories make this book up close and personal. Though some of the ideas are unconventional, it reminds me of 1 Timothy 1:5.

"The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." (1 Timothy 1:5)

That is the spirit of the letter, from a wise pastor to a young pastor. In fact, one does not need to be a pastor to benefit from the book. One can simply be an apprentice to learn about ministry and the unique challenges that come with it. Maybe, it can help readers learn how to pray for their pastors.

Great book!

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