Living… nay, setting up basecamp… in the Tension

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Carl Simmons

On to the final catch-up book from that fated 2009 NPC experience. I won’t lie; this is by far the hardest of the three to write. I even half-suspect, like its author, I’ll catch it from both sides. A book with the stated goal of reaching out to the LGBT community will do that.

And yet, if learning how to live out Jesus’ love even when it goes against our grain isn’t part of discipleship, then not much else is either. And in the end, that’s why Andrew Marin’s book works for me, and big-time. Because all topicality and theology aside, that’s the gist of his book (and blog, for that matter). “Living in the tension” is what he calls it here and elsewhere. So let’s set aside all other scriptural pronouncements for the time being, save one — “love one another” — and see what happens.

• Andrew Marin. Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community. Softcover, 208p., $15.00. IVP Books.

It would be just as wrong of me to say “ignore the context of this book” as it would be to say “make it all about the context.” To be sure, the behavior-equals-identity issue is a problem on both sides, and one that’s addressed thoroughly here. There’s plenty of room to express one’s reservations here — and a lot have. But here’s what I got out of the book, and what you can, too:

First, a brief synopsis of Andrew’s testimony: Self-proclaimed “Bible-banging homophobe” gets mind blown when his three best friends come out to him in three consecutive months. After a lot of soul-searching, our hero decides to sincerely try to figure out what makes his friends tick, and as a result becomes “the gayest straight dude in America.” He follows a call from God to move into Boystown in Chicago, the first officially recognized gay village in the United States, and just by being there — and being willing to take the brunt of the suspicion and pent-up hostility toward Christians and nonetheless proving his love by coming back for more — opens up a dialogue that continues today through the work of The Marin Foundation. The points of the book and of his ministry, I’ll try to sum up here:

• “Right from the gate, you can’t relate.” All Johnny Cochranisms aside, he’s right. Thus, a lot of the book is devoted to bridge-building — from detailing the conflict between between gay and Christian (or the inner turmoil from being both) to outlining “gay theology” in order to understand where members of the LGBT community are coming from. Marin’s purpose here isn’t to settle a debate but to create room for interaction. Because if there’s no interaction, there’s little hope for change. Which brings us to….

• “[T]he intentional boldness that I am talking about is the same countercultural boldness that Jesus reflected throughout his time on earth—one rooted in discipleship. It’s easy to stand with a sign; it’s difficult and bold to intentionally live with another human to make a significant impact for the kingdom.” Which in turn brings us to: “Eternity doesn’t concern when [someone turns to Jesus], it concerns if.” I hope that speaks for itself.

• But, but, but, what about the Bible? There is a part of me that wishes Andrew had pinpointed where exactly he comes down on what he calls “the Big 5” Bible passages regarding homosexuality (Genesis 19 aka Sodom and Gomorrah, Lev. 18:22 & 20:13, Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9-11 and 1 Tim. 1:9-11), although a) he makes the fair point that all of the citations in these passages are part of a bigger picture (i.e, we’re all sinners) and again, b)….

• Overriding even this is the attitude maintained throughout the book, summed up in the Billy Graham quote Andrew has adopted as his own mission statement: “It’s God’s job to judge, the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and it’s my job to love.”

In first seeing him talk more than 2 years ago now, I couldn’t help but be impressed. This is a guy who’s lived out loving those scorned by a large portion of Christian society, and taken no small amount of scorn himself from people on both sides in the process. And in doing so and showing us what that looks like — no matter what your position on the behavior itself — Love Is an Orientation shows what a truly Christian response should look like. And that’s something we all need to learn more about.

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A Conversation With the Creator

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Carl Simmons

“Every time I try to talk to someone it’s ‘Sorry’ this and ‘Forgive me’ that and ‘I’m not worrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrthy.’ ”—”God,” Monty Python and the Holy Grail

We all know it’s important to communicate with God in prayer. We know how important it is to engage our minds in prayer, to focus entirely on God, to be persistent and honest in our prayer, and to put everything we have on the table before God. But even with the best intentions, our prayers can sometimes feel mechanical, stupid, difficult, or as if we’re just babbling.

And yet, as Oswald Chambers once said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.”

You might be in a really good place in your prayer life right now. Maybe not. But we can always have a stronger, more intimate time with God in prayer. Let’s look at some ways we can honestly, full-mindedly, and full-heartedly approach the Creator of the universe, who loves us and wants to answer our prayers.

Let’s look at James 5:13-18: “Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint  him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human beinglike us, and he prayed earnestly  that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then  he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.”

Now, let’s dig into what that means for us:

• When have you seen a direct answer to prayer, in your life or someone else’s? How were you changed by witnessing that?
• Now, think about a time of personal drought in your life — material, spiritual or emotional. What was it like? What ended that drought? How did you see God’s faithfulness during (or despite) that time?
• What prayer or prayers have you been praying for a long time now? Have you ever felt like giving up on those prayers? What keeps you going?

You could have a whole night’s conversation on those three questions alone. I know; I’ve seen it happen more than once.

So here’s your assignment: Work through those questions in your small group, or find at least 1 or 2 more people you can make time to talk this out with. When you’re done talking, take some time to pray for one another. Don’t rush it. Start with a time of praise and thanksgiving. Thank God for who He is and how He’s been there for you and the others you’re with. Then join together in lifting up those long-time prayers you’ve been bringing to God. Share the burdens that each of you have been carrying. Pray for encouragement for these people who have been faithfully taking these requests to God.

Then watch what God does.

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Gladly Accept Imitations

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Who we are and what we think comes through in a variety of ways—our words, our actions, even our facial expression or tone of voice. So it’s important that the message we communicate is consistent—not only in the sense that we don’t send mixed messages, but more importantly, that what we communicate is consistent with what God wants to communicate through us.

God will use us to bring change to other people’s lives. But it comes at a cost: Us. We have to be willing to get out of God’s way and let Him use us the way He wants to. Sometimes that will mean opening our mouths and spelling things out to the people we’re with. Other times God might very well want us to keep our mouths shut, and let others watch Him working through us. We need to be ready to do both.

Neil Cole puts it this way in Search & Rescue: “If we can’t see our own lives changed by the power of the gospel, we have no right to expect to see the world changed by our message. If the gospel is no more important to us than life itself, the world will not be attracted to it. If they can’t see that we value the gospel, why would we expect them to?”

As we make the gospel the center of our lives and our lives reflect it, God will bring change into our lives, even as he’s using us to bring change into others’ lives. Let’s look at one example, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 (NET):

“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction. As a result you became an example  to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For from you the message of the Lord has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread, so that we do not need to say anything. For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.”

That’s the kind of story we want to be able to share. But let’s be honest: How would you react if someone told you were imitating the Lord? Why?

And yet, it’s what we’re called to do. Look again at that passage, and how different people are affected by that imitation—the Thessalonian church, people outside Thessalonica, Paul himself.

It matters what we do, and who we imitate. But how we reflect the working of the gospel in our lives is going to manifest differently for each of us. And that’s OK. So let’s reflect again on the different ways we can communicate what Jesus has shown us, and what that might look like for you personally:

• What’s easier for you: Telling someone what Jesus has done in your life, or walking out what Jesus is showing you and waiting for someone to ask you about it? Why?
• When are you most teachable? One-on-one, in a big group, off by yourself? Reading, listening, observing, doing? Why do you think that is?
• Think again about your responses. Now that you’ve articulated what works for you, how might that affect your approach toward the people you’re invested in right now?

We’re told to imitate God, and furthermore, God’s Word tells us that even in our own limited way that’s possible (see also Ephesians 5:1). Nobody’s ever going to mistake us for God, but God wants us to be able to reflect His life so that others can see it. Even when we fail, God can use it. Think again about that wonderful Robert Gelinas quote from last Thursday: “We’ve looked at the bad decisions in our lives and then asserted to God, ‘You could really use this stuff!’ That’s the hope in the tragedy of confession. That we serve a God who can—and does—redeem everything, including our sin.”

Think about a time you wish you could have a do-over with—a time when you definitely weren’t imitating God—and then think again about those people you’re invested in. What could you teach them from that, so they don’t repeat your mistakes? What has God shown you through those times that you’d want others to imitate? In both cases, how could you make it known to them?

God can use everything in our lives. Let’s let Him.

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Lay It Down: an introduction to the introduction

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Carl Simmons

As previously mentioned, Fridays are a time to put the new writing out there. In most cases it’s still unrefined. In other words, don’t mistake this for a finished product, but accept the germinating ideas for what they are and pray for their growth. With that, here’s what I’ve got so far in the way of the introduction. Enjoy, advise, or otherwise….

In some ways, this is meant to be a very practical book. In other ways, though, there are some pretty heavy ideas being… well, laid down. And why not? This is your life we’re talking about. And we’re talking about laying down every piece of it for the glory of God. There’s nothing more important than that. And it’s not easy. In fact, it’s the hardest thing you’ll even have to do. And what’s more, if you do it right, you’ll be doing it every day for the rest of your life.

The idea of laying down our lives for Christ’s sake is both foundational and eternal. It’s how we first come to Jesus, and it’s how Jesus continues to shape our wills in union with His. It is salvation; it is sanctification; and it is the totality of our eternal life in Jesus. Each of our lives move from being of Christ to being “in Christ” (Eph. 4) to where finally our life “is Christ” (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21, 2:12-15, Col. 3:4, 2 Cor. 4:10)

Many equate the idea of laying down with giving up—specifically, with simply ceasing to do something, with being a quitter. In some ways that is accurate, as when God calls us to give up our sins and/or the idols in our lives. But as we venture further with Jesus, laying down becomes less about stopping some activity we’re doing, sinful or otherwise, and more about a different kind of giving-up—the surrendering of everything we do to Christ.

It doesn’t mean we’ll stop doing the things we surrender to Him, but rather that we give up control of the things we do to Jesus, so that He can direct them, so that His will can be done. We don’t stop working, but we make it about “working for the Lord.” We’re still parents and children and spouses, but our priority becomes glorifying God in those relationships rather than pleasing ourselves—or even that spouse or parent or child. We still use our gifts and talents, but to serve God fully and not just for ego fulfilment—even, or maybe especially, in the context of “doing God’s work.” We still receive amazing blessings from God, but we learn to immediately place them back in God’s hands, knowing that even the people and things we love most were given to us for His purposes, and that our joy must rest in that rather than in His gifts.

I realize, even going into this, that by addressing these issues I’m also needing to clear out much of the undergrowth in my own life. It’s my prayer that by doing so, I not only help you clear a path for you as well to begin moving forward more deliberately, but that  you might also gain the courage to clear out some of your own undergrowth—and that you in turn might clear the way for and inspire others.

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View (Your Faith) Like Jazz

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Carl Simmons

“Life in concert with God—ultimately that is what we are practicing for.”

Time for another overlooked inspiration of the past couple years, and the 2nd of 3 to come out of that fated 2009 National Pastors Convention. This book has not only been a big influence on me personally but directly upon Growing Out, especially Season 4: Growing Others. Heck, it even inspired me to rent the entirety of Ken Burns’ Jazz series.

Robert Gelinas. Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith.  Softcover, 224p., $14.99. Zondervan.

One could hardly be blamed for looking at the above title and thinking “yeah, huh?” But it’s an accurate description; it’s far more biblically grounded than you might suspect; and it works. And because it works, it’s a great book for unlocking the creative expression of one’s faith. And again, I know that’s been true for me.

In the words of “jazz theologian” Robert Gelinas, pastor of Colorado Community Church in Denver, “If Christ’s redemptive work was, in part, intended to restore the image of God in us and if creativity is central is central to God’s being, then creativity should become more and more a part of who we are.”

You don’t have to be a jazz fan to appreciate this, although I’m pretty sure being a general music-head helps. When I started this book, my appreciation for jazz pretty much started and ended with Coltrane. It’s expanded a ways since then. I also pushed this book on a friend who got kind of hung up on the “jazz” thing. She pushed the book back to me after maybe 30 pages; I pushed it back and told her to push through; she did; and she got it. And I have a book marked up in pink to prove it. I love those kind of moments. 🙂

Anyway, the building blocks for a jazz-shaped faith,  as presented quite illuminatingly here, are:

• syncopation—”accenting the offbeat,” as Gelinas puts it. Jesus accented the offbeats he came across a lot, and challenges us to do the same. And to discover the unique importance of our own “off beat” giftedness in the process.

• improvisation—”Improvisation is about adventure, play, and experimentation. It is about being so familiar with one’s instrument of choice, the song, and the essentials that we can trust ourselves to search for the unseen—for what the moment is presenting.” If we know our “instruments”—our faith, our Bible, our identity in Jesus—we’re freed to create the brand-new works God has created us for. We can be totally in the teachable moments God presents to us and others.

• call-and-response—wherein the instruments converse with one another. If you’ve heard a good improvisational piece of any kind, you know what he’s talking about here. This idea particularly blew me away, since I’ve been defining my own doctrine, if you will, as “call-and-response theology” for years. Read the story of Abraham for a fresh and particular vivid example of what that looks like.

Still, Gelinas nails it even further: “All too often we think it is our job to get people in a place where they can call on God, but what if God has already called them? Then our role in someone’s life is to help them respond to the overtures of God.” That is the intent of his book—and this blog, for that matter—in a nutshell.

Something even more scarily empowering is this: “Every person we encounter is someone who is also on the verge of encountering Christ incognito.” The response and reassurance that goes hand-in-hand with that is this: “We’ve looked at the bad decisions in our lives and then asserted to God, ‘You could really use this stuff!’ That’s the hope in the tragedy of confession. That we serve a God who can—and does—redeem everything, including our sin.”

So let’s get out there and be used. And take along a copy of Finding the Groove for inspiration.

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Relationships Take Time

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Think about your best friend, or about a best friend you had while growing up. Why is (or was) that person your best friend?

How do you develop stronger friendships with others now?

And here’s the big question: How can you develop a stronger friendship with Jesus? How is the way you approach Jesus like (or unlike) how you approach your earthly friendships?

Jesus is our Lord and Savior—of course we’re going to act a little differently around Him! But Jesus also calls us his friends (John 15:13-15), and that’s not something we should take lightly either. Jesus is going to be there for us, no matter what we’re thinking or feeling, and He wants us to be with Him, too. That’s a pretty mind-blowing concept, but it’s true.

Therefore, if we’re going to grow in a healthy relationship with Jesus, we’re going to need to spend quality time with Him. It’s hard to love—let alone follow—someone you don’t even know. A.W. Tozer put it this way, “True Christian experience must always include a genuine encounter with God. Without this, religion is but a shadow, a reflection of reality, a cheap copy of an original…The spiritual giants of old were men who at some time became acutely conscious of the real Presence of God.”

When have you been “acutely conscious” of God’s presence in your life? Think about the times you’ve encountered Jesus—during a retreat, in the midst of a crisis, or maybe even when you least expected it. Where or when do you tend to feel closest to Jesus? Why are those times or places more special? And when do you feel furthest away?

It’s not always easy to drop what we’re doing so we can have times of refreshing with Jesus. Some of us feel guilty about not giving our human obligations top priority; we may feel we’re letting others down. A lot of us feel rushed and don’t think we can get into “the right frame of mind” to “be” with Jesus. Some of us may even wonder whether we’re wasting our time by doing what, humanly speaking, is… nothing, with Jesus.

Here’s an exercise you can try…. well, now, actually: Find a clock with a second hand, and try to be still for exactly 97 seconds. Look up when you think 97 seconds have passed. Ready? Go.

Interesting, wasn’t it? So now, reflect on this:

• How hard was it for you to be still, for only a little more than a minute and a half? What kinds of things went through your head during that time? Why?

• Why do we seem to be able to do everything except be still? What is it about quiet or stillness that makes us so uncomfortable?

Now, get quiet again, but this time let’s focus directly on our relationships with Jesus. First, take 30 seconds or so to quietly reflect on the time you first drew close to Jesus. Starting now.

Let’s make sure we really capture the moment. Who was with you when that happened? Where were you? What were some of the sounds and smells? What were you thinking and feeling? Take another minute to replay that in your mind and heart.

Now, take another minute to quietly reflect on where you are right now in your relationship with Jesus. Think also about where you are in comparison to those first days, and why.

Finally, think about Jesus coming alongside you right now. What’s different from before? What’s better? And what do you miss from that first time you drew close to Jesus?

Make that last question something you reflect more about this week. Take the time to remember, and reignite, your first love.

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You Can’t Do It Alone

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Think about a past transition in your life such as a move, a new job or position, or a major change in your family. Who helped you most through those changes? How did that person help you?

The fact is, our lives are always changing. Part of the reason you’re reading this, hopefully, is to discover ways to make the shift from being simply a disciple of Jesus to becoming a discipler of others. You’re probably facing other transitions in life as well.

The good news is: You don’t have to face those challenges alone. And you’re not meant to. God has been growing and equipping us to share our lives in Jesus with others all along. And that cuts both ways: God still wants us to seek support from others—to share our lives in Jesus with those we trust, so they can help us move forward even as we help others.

Let’s take one more “big picture” view of the kinds of relationships every Christian needs to grow. Look at the stages of growth  described in the following passage, and what good things John has to say about each of them. Where are you at right now, and how do John’s words speak to that?

“I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his  name. I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, that  you have conquered the evil one.  I have written to you, children, that  you have known the Father.  I have written to you, fathers, that  you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that  you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.”—1 John 2:12-14 (NET)

We need all kinds of people to help us grow. More mature Christians show us how to live out the things we still struggle with. They know Jesus and model Him to us. They show us, “You can do this.” Those wrestling with similar issues of faith and life help us gain new perspective and to know we’ve won the biggest battle of all even as we continue fighting the little battles together. Even those who are younger in their faith can teach us incredible things. They help us see God through fresh eyes. They remind us of things in our faith we need to never forget. And they remind us that how we help them in Jesus… matters.

I’m going to spend the rest of this post focusing on our relationships with those more mature Christians who are willing and available to help us move forward. One of the best-known examples of this would be Paul and Timothy. In Philippians 2:22, Paul takes pride in being a “father” to Timothy. So here are a few things to consider:

• Who’s been a “father” or “mother” to you—someone whose faith examples have helped you to grow?
• How do you see his or her faith reflected in you today?
• How have you been able to pass on what that person taught you to others? And if you haven’t, who could benefit from that person’s wisdom?

I’m going to ask you to do something a bit unusual now. For the next few minutes, forget everything you know about Paul and Timothy. You’ve never read anything about them. For that matter, pretend you know nothing at all about Paul except for what you’re about to read.

Ready? Let’s do this:

“I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant  man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, and our Lord’s grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus. This saying   is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ — and I am the worst of them! But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that  in me as the worst,Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the eternal king,  immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.”—1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NET)

So: If you were to meet Paul in person right now—based solely on what you know from the passage above—what one thing would you ask him for advice about? Why that?

Now: Who do you know, or would like to, that you’d ask those questions to in person?  What can you do to connect with that person?

Here’s another idea: It might require a bit of humility, but consider this: Which of your friends could really help you right now with the season you’re in? Begin setting a regular time to get with him or her. Don’t do this just as a social time. Confess that there’s a growth area you’re struggling with, that you’ve seen how God has worked in his or her life, and you desire his or her input to help you move forward. As tough as that admission might be, it’ll take your relationship to a whole new level if you let it.

So that’s the challenge. Open up, and prepare to be transformed. And may God’s blessings be upon you as you step out and take the risk of relationship.

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Lay Down Your “Head”: a fragment about insight

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Carl Simmons

“[H]umbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone  who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets  what sort of person he was.”—James 1:21-24 (NET)

We’ve all experienced that a-ha moment, when God has revealed something brand-new to us. And honestly, it’s a great feeling when the Spirit helps us to see God’s will in a new way, whether it’s revealed through the Word or circumstances or when you’re just sitting there and suddenly this revelation hits you.

But here’s what we often forget: Insight is… well, just that. It’s insight. And at the point we receive it,  that’s all it is. It’s a good thing, but it’s a comparatively small thing until we actually put it into action. We have an epiphany; we’re inspired by a book or someone’s personal story; we’re moved to tears by a thought. But that’s only a beginning. What we do with it next is what matters.

If we do nothing, the moment passes. Nothing changes. That’s one possibility, and we do it often enough. It’s a shame, but it could be worse. For instance….

If we share about this incredible thing God’s shown us and then do nothing with it, we’re like our James 1 “man in the mirror.” We’re actually worse than when we started, because we’ve taken a gift from God and made it about us. And we’ve probably primped in that mirror more than a few times. Maybe even flexed our muscles to prove to ourselves what powerful spiritual warriors we are. We’re kidding no-one, especially God.

And yet, because of this brief and so far purely mental experience, we allow ourselves to feel superior about it. If we’re not brought to a place of humility and response, we’ve actually allowed something given to us by God to be used by the enemy instead.

And that thought should stop us in our tracks and ask forgiveness right now.

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Simple Isn’t Easy… Only Worth It

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Carl Simmons

This week’s Other Voice is one I first heard a little more than 2 years ago. It still remains my favorite new book since that time, and maybe my favorite book ever in terms of making an actual connection between spiritual formation and social justice.

Christopher Heuertz. Simple Spirituality. Intro by Shane Claiborne. Softcover, 160p., $15.00. IVP.

Forgive the ho-hum-how-many-more-books-can-we-TITLE-like-this-anyway-FCOL? title. And because of that, this book didn’t look all that appealing to me either when I picked it up at National Pastors Conference in early 2009. Nonetheless, my wife Marion insisted we buy it for our daughter Amy because it had an intro from her homeboy Shane Claiborne (another better-known voice you should check out if you haven’t already — run, don’t walk, to The Irresistible Revolution).

Amy still hasn’t read this book, but I have. And suffice to say, while the common adage around our house is “Amy is her father’s daughter,” it’s probably worth remembering that the reverse is true, too, i.e., I’m my daughter’s father. In short, in God’s twisted sense of humor, I have no doubt that we did really buy this one for me.

Make no mistake: Christopher Heuertz, executive director of Word Made Flesh, is throwing down the gauntlet to the church. (See also his blog If I Blogged…. to the lower right.) But as opposed to the many books today that are long on well-placed criticisms and short on solutions (cough, cough, emergent, cough), Chris puts his money where his mouth is, working with the poorest of the poor and challenging us to get involved wherever we’re at.

So in Simple Spirituality, we get many stories of the author’s visits to the “Majority World” countries (nice turning of the term “Third World” on its ear, BTW), and his extensive work with Word Made Flesh. As Chris Heuertz tells his stories, there’s very little altruistic or noble in the accounts. Over and over, you see someone who’s broken by what he sees — and who never gets used to the suffering he encounters — and yet presses on, finding his own sanctification in it.

As Chris quotes Mother Teresa (whom both him & Shane had the opportunity to work side-by-side with at Nirmal Hriday), “The poor give us much more than we give them. They’re such strong people, living day to day with no food. and they never curse, never complain. We don’t have to give them pity or sympathy. We have so much to learn from them.” This book brings that message home over and over.

Another quote of Mother Teresa’s (in Shane’s intro) sets the tone early on, “It is very fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately it is not as fashionable to talk to the poor.” This book is filled with that “talking to.” In fact, despite the considerable work being done, more times than not we see more examples of the poor sharing their meals (if not giving them away) to Chris than the reverse. And it never fails to devastate him or me each time I read it.

And while the mission is toward the poor, it starts with the self. And that brings us to the spiritual-formation part. The overall structure of the book in fact revolves around five “simple” disciplines: Humility, Community, Simplicity, Submission, and Brokenness. And if you’ve already surmised that simple isn’t easy, you’re on the right track. This book reduced me to human rubble on a number of occasions. And hopefully that rubble can be used to build something better.

And again, this all has to start on a personal level before one can truly be of any greater use. And thus, the toughest part of all to read was this (extra emphasis mine):

“I would say that I’m a fairly transparent person. Ask me just about anything you want and I typically have no problem opening up the tender parts of my heart… But transparency isn’t vulnerability…

For me, being vulnerable is much more difficult than being transparent. I have a hard time exposing the parts of me that can be wounded. Sure, I can share my feelings with someone, but it’s tough for me to trust people with my feelings. It’s not easy for me to put my needs out there and give someone a chance to reject them. And so what I usually do is work toward transparency as a distraction from my lack of vulnerability.

There’s no submission in that. Submission is giving up oneself to the power of another; transparency isn’t an act of submission so much as it is a preemptive strike — a self-protecting attempt to keep people at a safe distance. Transparency in this way becomes an attempt to protect and control. Submission is a celebration not of insipid acquiescence but of confident surrender. Submission is an opportunity to affirm our deep trust in God by allowing God to be in control as we resist the urge to assert ourselves as God.”

Crap. (And not as in “That’s a load of….” either.)

It can be easy to read all this and walk away. I didn’t want to do that. After being crushed by this book, I wrestled with a way to get involved, somehow. Fact is, I can directly trace my reading of this book to my involvement with our local Center for Adult Learning, helping people 90% of whom are below the poverty line to get their GEDs — and truth is, I get more reward out of it than they do. It’s a long way from what Chris does, but it’s nonetheless what God’s shown me I can do. And that in itself is far more value than the cost of a book.

So now it’s your turn, before Chris’ next book comes out (he just signed a deal with Howard Books). Read Simple Spirituality. Be vulnerable. Be broken. Be transformed. And be ready for what God wants to do with that.

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The Meaning of Commitment

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Think about the last “meet-and-greet” social situation you attended. (For me, it was a men’s retreat this past weekend — I didn’t even know the other 3 guys from my church, let alone the other 80 or so from elsewhere around Colorado.)

Now think about this: How was this “meet-and-greet” time like some — or more than some — of the relationships you have right now? And what do you do to get past that “meet-and-greet” stage and actually get to know someone?

Getting to know new people can be exciting for some—and terrifying for others. God can use a chance encounter to do something meaningful, but odds are the most meaningful encounters most of us will ever have will be with those we stick it out with over the long haul. Because we experience each other’s highs and lows together, both we and our friends are changed.

Now, take those relationships and put Jesus in the center. When that happens, our relationships take on a character greater than anything we could ever have imagined. And it’s something we’ll want to see happen in every relationship we have. So let’s explore how our commitment to Jesus and our commitment to others can come together to become something extraordinary — something that truly glorifies God.

There are several passages of scripture that illustrate what a deep, committed friendship looks like. Here are just a few examples:

• Ruth 1:3-18 (Ruth & Naomi)
• 1 Samuel 20:1-17, 24-34 (David & Jonathan)
• 1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-14 (Elijah & Elisha)
• Acts 9:21-28; 11:19-26 (Paul & Barnabas)
• 2 Timothy 1:3-10, 2:1-9 (Paul & Timothy)

Think about those relationships you want to take to the next level. You probably have at least one in mind already. But it’s going to take work. Dietrich Bonhoeffer captured this in Life Together: “The Christian, however, must bear the burden of a brother. He must suffer and endure the brother. It is only when he is a burden that another person is really a brother and not merely an object to be manipulated.”

What keeps you from “suffer[ing] and endur[ing]” some of the people who God puts in your life?  What would need to change in you, so you felt prepared to take on that person’s burden—and became a better friend to him or her?

We’re going to explore this more in the coming weeks. But for now, keep thinking about your answers to those last couple questions. We all need each other in order to grow, and having friends who can help us is a huge factor in making that happen. May God bless your efforts to develop not only friendships, but spiritual friendships.

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