George Bailey vs. Howard Roark in the Circle of Doom
The name of the blog, "Evangelical Outpost," made me suspicious. Normally, when I see that something is from an "evangelical worldview," I anticipate something that sounds more like modern political and social conservatism equated with Christian evangelism, and I get a bit antsy.

But this entry has got to be one of the best write-ups I've seen about the subversive nature of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life.

In fact, I think it's one of the only write ups I've seen about the subversive nature of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. So there. Here's a quote.

But what makes George Bailey one of the most inspiring, emotionally complex characters in film is that he continually chooses the needs of his family and community over his own self-interested ambitions and desires – and suffers immensely for his efforts.

Although sentimental, Capra’s movie is not a simplistic morality play. In the end, George is saved from ruin but the rest of life remains essentially the same. By December 26 he’ll wake to find that he's still a frustrated artist scraping out a meager living in a drafty old house in a one-stoplight town. In fact, all that he has gained is recognition of the value of faith, friends, and community and that this is worth more than anything else he might achieve. Capra’s underlying message is thus radically subversive: it is by serving our fellow man, even to the point of subordinating our dreams and ambitions, that we achieve true greatness.

This theme makes Wonderful Life one of the most counter-cultural films in the history of cinema. Almost every movie about the individual in society—from Easy Rider to Happy Feet—is based on the premise that self-actualization is the primary purpose of existence. To a society that accepts radical individualism as the norm, a film about the individual subordinating his desires for the good of others sounds anti-American, if not downright communistic. Surely, the only reason the film has become a “Christmas classic” is because so few people grasp this core message.

posted by Stephen at 10:02 PM | |

 
Holiday season provokes unwarranted, random generosity

It seems that some secret Santas in Spokane, Washington have given a few people a reason to believe that humanity is still capable of some amount of good. I love stuff like this. I'd like to see an entire army of people doing stuff like this all the time.

Oh, wait, this guy is already doing it.
posted by Stephen at 1:07 PM | |

 
Flipping thru the channels this morning I found Rick Warren on Meet the Press. I thought it was a good interview overall. Recently Rick had a bunch of folks over to Saddleback for an AIDS conference. Singer Bono and Senator's Barak Obama Sam Browneback and others were there.
Here's part of the transcript from Meet the press. The part that stands out to me is the interaction at the end between conservative Browneback (and I'm guessing religious right member) and Barak Obama at the beginning of their talks.

"MR. RUSSERT: Embracing those with AIDS, even though she has strong feelings about homosexuality, you created quite a controversy last month when you invited not only Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas to your church, but Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois who’s thinking of running for president, as a Democrat. This is the Christian News Wire, when Phyllis Schlafly and some other Christian leaders wrote to you, saying this: “We oppose Rick Warren’s decision to ignore Senator Obama’s clear, pro-death stance and invite him to Saddleback Church. If Senator Obama cannot defend the most helpless citizens in our country,” speaking about abortion, “he has nothing to say to the AIDS crisis. You cannot fight one evil while justifying another. The evangelical church can provide no genuine help for those who suffer from AIDS if those involved do not first have their ethic of life firmly rooted in the Word of God.”
I want to bring you to what happened at your church. Sam Brownback first said something—Barack Obama was there—you did not rescind his invitation—and responded. Let’s watch.

(Videotape, World AIDS Day):
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK: Welcome to my house. [at the beginning of his speech, to Obama]

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: This is my house, too. This is God’s house. So I just, I just wanted to, I just wanted to be clear. I hope, I hope you don’t mind that modest correction. [at the beginning of his speech to Brownback]

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: A liberal and a conservative, both saying God’s house is my house."


thoughts?
posted by riddle at 1:03 PM | |

 
Monasticism Everywhere--or rather the New Friar Movement
Terry sent me this link on a post over at Prodigal Kiwi. Relevant Magazine also ran this article in their weekly email. I followed the link to the InterVarsity book, The New Friars: The Emerging Movement Serving the World's Poor. It looks good, I may order it and give it a read. It may be that "New Friar Movement" more accurately describes what interests me. From Terry I've understood that (in a simple definition) a Friar is a Monk who takes the vows but engages the outside culture of the world (working and serving) for the sake of Christ and others.

What attracts me to the monastic way is a community's (sometimes radical) commitment to a way of life and being. So much of Christianity has become a "do-it-yourself" religion where real community is something that we attempt to tack onto our solitary lives. What excites me about the "new monasticism" especially is the centering of that communal commitment around serving those in need outside the "monastic" community itself. I know that such commitments have been a part of certain monastic orders for centuries, but in the common knowledge monasticism tends to lead people to thoughts of seclusion and complete abandonment of the world. The model that Jesus lived (and what is desperately needed among Christians) is an abandonment of the world's values combined with a passionate love for others.

It seems that the new monastic movement is taking steps at being communities doing just that.

posted by Jimmy at 11:16 AM | |

 
Missions is the New Worship
I noticed that Wade Hodges picked up on this little line from someone. I just want it to be known (as far as I know) that statement originated with me at a church camp this past summer.

I'm thinking of trademarking the statement since it's getting around. I'd appreciate it if anyone using it would go ahead and write it this way: Missions is the New Worship™.
posted by Jimmy at 7:33 PM | |

 
Let me direct your attention...

Colby Craige wrote something that hit me in the right place at the right time. Maybe you'll think it's as cool as I did.

Here it is.
posted by Stephen at 7:11 PM | |

 

The New Monasticism

I keep coming back to the ideas espoused by the "movement" that is being called "The New Monasticism". Since I heard about it a year or more ago, it seems like I keep coming across it. I've liked the idea of intentional Christian communities in terms of proximity of living, shared table, and common vision for a while. I've come to believe that the closest we get to what Christian community could be in our culture is during college...when we all live together. Then the American culture tends to be a downhill run of individuality and lonliness for most people. Here are the 12 Marks of the New Monasticism from the New Monasticism website :

1) Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire.

2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us.

3) Hospitality to the stranger

4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communities
combined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation.

5) Humble submission to Christ’s body, the church.

6) Intentional formation in the way of Christ and the rule of the
community along the lines of the old novitiate.

7) Nurturing common life among members of intentional community.

8) Support for celibate singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children.

9) Geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life.

10) Care for the plot of God’s earth given to us along with support of our local economies.

11) Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18.

12) Commitment to a disciplined contemplative life.

This appeals to me so much that it drives me crazy at times. It's appealing but requires so much. Here is another link to some documents relating to the New Monasticism.

posted by Jimmy at 5:47 PM | |

 

Blog Changes

I got tired of the old look that we'd had for the past 3 years. I got this minimalistic design from some free blogger template site. I don't know if I like it or not. I've also switched us to blogger comments...which means the old haloscan comments don't show up on the page anymore (however, they do show up on the archives). I made the change to blogger comments just for Blake Ewing because for some strange reason he couldn't see the haloscan comments...and I definitely want Blake to voice his opinions here.

For a little trivial info, I'm so impressed with Google docs. As a matter of fact, I'm using Google docs to make my blog posts these days instead of going to the Blogger Control Panel. That way if I make a post I want to keep I can save them as word documents and even print them as PDFs. It's sweet that I can publish straight to my blog from the documents. I'm also impressed with google calendar. Amy and I are using it to share our personal and family calendars. Pretty cool.

posted by Jimmy at 6:57 AM | |

 
When I Go
After Wednesday I'll have been to three funerals in the past month. The first was a 22 year old, the second an 18 year old, and this next one will be a 19 year old. It's tragic and I wish that this wasn't happening.

Funerals don't usually bother me. Other than the obvious focus on the departed, they also cause me to think about my own death (may it be when I'm very old and have told many stories about life at the turn of the century to my great grandchildren). The crazy (and perhaps morbid) thing is that over the years and in the midst of much sadness, I have become quite a critic/connoisseur of funerals. I've come to love inspirational funerals that leave me with a desire to live life more fully (usually because people shared personal stories about the deceased), and I hate those funerals where when I leave I hardly feel like I've learned anything about the person (usually because some preacher who didn't know the person is talking about them, trying to come up with stories about a stranger, and then giving a quaint little "message" at the end). And the truth is that I'm self-centered enough at many of these funerals to actually have thoughts like, "When I go I want this to be done at my funeral" or "I want my funeral to be different than this"--kind of like an unmarried girl does at weddings.

So here's what I've learned about my own funeral from these others:

When I go I'd want to put off my funeral for as many days as we could. Actually, I'd like to have two services. One for my family and close friends, and another memorial type service done a little later. For the small one, I just want it to be whatever my friends and family need it to be. It's for them. The second one--well--it's for me.

I'd love for invitations to be sent...like to a party. I'd love for there to be tons of people (doesn't everyone want tons of people at their funeral?) Nothing like serious invitations, but through email and word of mouth I'd want all my old friends, former students, whoever to be invited. I'd like for it to be casual. No dressing up for the occasion. Obviously, I would want people to have respect for my family, but no need for suits or dresses (at either the first one or second).

Maybe we could have everyone bring some canned food that could be donated to feed the hungry. We might as well do something to make a difference while we're all together. And no, I'm not kidding.

I would want it to be "in the round". If my casket is there I'd like for it to be in the center. I mean, a funeral is one time in your life (?) that it's okay to have everything be about yourself...so why not in the center! Actually, I just want people to be able to see each other and communicate with each other--even if it's just with their eyes, their tears, and their smiles. I've never liked that church setup where everyone is facing the front...away from each other. And in light of the fact that most churches and funeral homes aren't setup to be done "in the round", it could take place in some old Gym or something. A meeting hall. Whatever. If we're still in Tulsa, Cain's Ballroom would be great! ;-) But I would want some of my friends who are are gifted at decorating (and making such places feel as sacred as they already are) to come and do their magic.

I would also want some of my friends who are good at putting productions together to work out a flow and a feel for this thing. I would love pictures to be running. Pictures of me growing up, loving my family and playing with them. As a matter of fact, I would love just to have pictures of my family without me...since I probably took the pictures of them anyway, and they are the best part of my life. The pictures of my family that I took could just have the caption, "Amy, have you seen this picture?! This is a great picture!" I would have someone MC the whole thing and a few scheduled speakers who are close to me, but also have an open mic for people to share. The MC might want to explain why things are being done the way they are. I'd like to have something for people to write on and draw on as a way of saying goodbye...a big sheet of paper in the center or on my actual casket. Notes, prayers, pictures...whatever people need to do to send me on my way. I've had the opportunity to know so many gifted students in music, art, and words. I would love for them to share something if they were able and thought it fitting. If this is done on something like paper, I haven't decided if it should be given to my family or buried with me.

I would want Scripture to be read.

I would want people to be given a chance to cry and sit in silence. Maybe part of the service should be in darkness and silence. But just a part of it...so it can be like life, which has its dark moments.

I would want to give a chance for God's people to commit to honoring God's promise that he would take care of those who sought his Kingdom first by committing to take care of my family in my absence.

I would like for there to be songs of praise to God. I believe that death has lost its sting in Christ, and I want my funeral to be true to that belief. I would love for their to be a sending out that challenges people to remember that life is worth living and that it doesn't end.

I would want it to be said that my last words to everyone were "I love you and I'll see you again"--even if I don't actually get a chance to say those words.

I would want to be buried in Pleasant Valley where generations of my family are buried.
posted by Jimmy at 10:00 PM | |

 
Yizkor--A Remembrance Prayer for Josh
O God, full of mercy, Who dwells on high, grant proper rest on the wings of Your Presence--in the lofty levels of the holy and the pure ones, who shine like the glow of the firmament--for the soul our friend Joshua who went on to his world. Without making a vow, I will give to charity in remembrance of his soul. May his resting place be in the Garden of Eden--therefore may the Master of mercy shelter him in the shelter of His wings for eternity; and may He bind his soul in the Bond of Life. HASHEM is his heritage, and may he repose in peace on his resting place.

Let us respond: Amen.

posted by Jimmy at 7:52 PM | |

 
Mourning
My heart is grieving and tired. It's been a tough few weeks. Three weeks ago a student who graduated last year was killed in a tragic car accident. She was a wonderful student who lived for Christ, and that I had the great pleasure of knowing since she was in the 8th grade. The response to her death by friends and family was a testimony consistent with her life...full of honest worship and seeking after God. However, as usual in school settings, the death of one student often reveals deep issues in others who are struggling, and just an hour before Bethany's funeral that week a student shared with me that they were having thoughts of suicide. Then on that Friday a completely different student actually attempted suicide at school. Both are doing fine physically and and are now in the process of healing emotionally.

This past Thursday a student who graduated two years ago was trapped beneath her car for almost two hours before being rescued. It was all the result of accident due to the snow and ice. She's now in the hospital with 3rd degree burns and back injuries. And then this morning I received information that another former student from the same class had died in another accident. It seems that he died from hypothermia after capsizing in a canoe or kayak. I've spent a good deal of the day on the phone counseling other students, trying to help them deal with the "why?" questions that won't be answered in This Age.

Two deaths, a threat of suicide, an attempted suicide, and a terrible accident involving students in less than a month. I'm not sure how spiritual warfare works, but it sure feels like we're in the midst of it.

Lord, have mercy on our students, their families, and our staff.

Update: Our friend Colby does a good job of writing about Josh on his blog.
posted by Jimmy at 5:45 PM | |