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U2 - 40 LYRICS:

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long...how long...how long...
How long...to sing this song

He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long...how long...how long...

David Fitch is coming to town - Hamilton, that is, where he once lived. Rumor has it that Brian McLaren is headed this way too. Resonate Echo is a cool idea. Stay tuned

I was mentioning to Charlene that I am enjoying this phase of life. The kids are old enough to be more fun than demanding, yet they're not old enough to be trouble. I am still young enough to sleep through the night, and I am getting more comfortable in my own skin, and emerging (sorry) from a period of restlessness. There are lots of good things happening, I have lots of good friends, and I sense God at work.

But I am also feeling mortal.

Jordon is sick. My sister-in-law's mother just died. My friend's 20-year-old son just died - went to the funeral home today, and it broke my heart. And while I wouldn't want to go back, I sense that life is passing by faster than I'd like.

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). I'm learning to number, and learning not to take any of them for granted.

Some more thoughts on Christians values and culture, this time from Charles Colson in the February 2006 Christianity Today. I love the subtitle, "Changing the law isn't enough."

To change the culture, therefore, we must learn how to engage the political process more winsomely. It will require a different mindset. We'll need to recognize that we're appealing to hearts and minds, not twisting arms. In fact as well as in appearance, we are not seeking to impose, but rather to propose. We're not demanding something for ourselves; we are inviting a hungry and needy world to come to Christ and find goodness and fullness of life. The Christian church makes a Great Proposal, inviting everyone to the table—regardless of ethnic origin, background, or economic status. We're inviting people to consider a worldview that's livable, that makes sense, in which people can discover shalom and human flourishing.

This means, first, loving those we contend against in the political process. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Whom you would change, you must first love."

A rant Mark Driscoll in response to Brian McLaren, that ends with these words::

Lastly, for the next 5-10 years you are hereby required to white 1 Peter 3:15 which says "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" out of your Bible until further notice from McLaren because the religious right forget the gentleness and respect part and the religious left forgot the answer the question part. Subsequently, a task force will be commissioned to have a conversation about all of this at a labyrinth to be named later. Once consensus is reached a finger painting will be commissioned on the Emergent web site as the official doctrinal position.

I'm left quite speechless by Driscoll's rant, although I have wondered in the past why McLaren hasn't tackled this tough issue as readily and graciously as he has others.

Update: The post has been edited, and some comments deleted, but the original lives on here.

eBay has forgiven me and I'm back on after my stint as an outlaw. I'm sure they have me on a pretty short leash though.

We all wish you the best, and it really isn't any of our business, but please learn to hug your kids when you drop them off at school.

Update: Calgary Grit adds his thoughts. You have to have seen the Liberal election ads to get his humor. We're not making this up.

If you're interested in the culture war debate, and how Christians should engage culture, Desiring God has a great survey of literature on the topic. Looks like there's some good material here that covers a number of perspectives.

Thanks to Ken Davis again for the link.

My post on politics the other day has sparked some discussion. For instance, George asks: "Wasn't our country founded on Christian principles and values? Do we as Christians now have a problem with a government that would encourage policy based on Christian values?"

George isn't alone. I grew up thinking this. These were in the days of Christendom, when it seemed reasonable to expect Christianity to hold a favored standing in society.

Now I am on record stating that Christians should work to promote justice, but they shouldn't be passing laws to impose Christian values on the rest of society. This hits all kinds of issues, such as same sex marriage. Why should we expect society at large to hold a Christian view of marriage at all? Why not also pass laws to enforce other Christian beliefs?

It may be caused by a troubling medical condition called homilophobia or fear of sermons:

Known by a number of names - Homilophobia and Fear of Sermons being the most common - the problem often significantly impacts the quality of life. It can cause panic attacks and keep people apart from loved ones and business associates. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and overall feelings of dread, although everyone experiences homilophobia in their own way and may have different symptoms.

I recognize this in many people. Happens every Sunday.

To add insult to an already distressing condition, most homilophobia therapies take months or years and sometimes even require the patient to be exposed repeatedly to their fear [sermons]. We believe that not only is this totally unnecessary, it will often make the condition worse. And it is particularly cruel as homilophobia can be eliminated with the right methods and just 24 hours of commitment by the phobic individual.

Even if you don't suffer from this distressing condition, you just may be more phobic than you realize.

Update: Got this response from a friend:

With bird flu they start killing the chickens. With mad cow disease they kill the cattle. With homilophobia will they start killing the... Nah!

Watch you back, just because you're paranoid doesnt mean they are not out to get you.

Friends of mine, Russ and Sheila, have just suffered the loss of their son Brendan. As a parent, I can't imagine the pain. I'd appreciate your prayers for them.

The world's most impatient voter here. With Tim holding Harper's feet to the fire, we're all going to have a few extra pennies in our pocket soon.

The other day I predicted the results of the election:

Conservative - 120
Liberal - 111
Bloq - 53
NDP - 23
Independent - 1

The actual results:

Conservatives - 124
Liberal - 103
Bloq - 51
NDP - 29
Independent - 1

Not bad! I actually did better than the pros (although they called the NDP numbers better than I did).

Greg Paul, director of Sanctuary Ministries and author of God in the Alley, spoke at Richview yesterday. Some notes:

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him" (Philippians 1:29) - This is like the passing of a mantle. We've been called to continue to ministry and suffering of Christ.

Shootings in Toronto have reminded us that we would rather die for a cause (even an unworthy one) than to live without one.

When St. Lawrence was asked to show the riches of the church to the prefect of Rome, he gathered a great number of blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned and widowed persons and put them in rows, and said, "These are the treasures of the church."

Your church does a great job of ministering to the poor, but you are not a church of the poor. Imagine if the empty seats here were filled with the poor, broken, and the crazies of the community. What would it look like if the church decided it was its mission to take in the poorest of the community? This is the calling of the church.

Tod Bolsinger, author of It Takes a Church, reacts to Barna's Revolution:

Mr. Barna, Thank you for you work over the years. I for one, am a better pastor and leader because of your writings. I am grateful for your passion, your conviction and this challenge. But, Mr. Barna, this is not a revolution, it is a retreat. You and I share the same passion for the spiritual battle that rages around us. And in your descriptions of the state of the church and faith in our culture, I have great confidence. But, in your prescriptions, Mr. Barna, you are wrong.

Link

Looks to be a good series of posts.

Warning: controversial political post ahead.

The past couple of days, I've had a few people tell me that the Conservatives are God's party for this election. They've also told me that Paul Martin and the Liberals are enemies of God, mostly because of their position on same-sex marriage and abortion. (I have to admit that Martin tends to dismiss and demonize anyone who agrees with him on these issues.)

I'm always surprised when Christians get too excited about any political party. Faith should enter into our politics, but no Christian party is going to win this election, nor would I want them to. We live in a pluralistic democracy, not a theocracy, and I don't long for a return to Christendom. Constantine should have taught us something.

The people I talk to usually raise two issues:

• Abortion - Marc writes:

  There are two different messages that I would like to issue to the Canadian public:

  1. To conservative evangelicals: abortion is not an issue in this election or at all at a governmental level.

  2. To left-leaning Canadians: abortion is not an issue in this election or at all at a governmental level.

  How about everybody stops hinging their votes and non-votes on a non-issue?

  I'd love to see an intelligent debate on third-trimester abortion one day - something that should be discussed even if you are pro-choice - but in this election, it's not even on the table.

• Same-sex marriage - I'd prefer civil unions, but this issue raises questions for me about Christian faith in a pluralistic society.

Greg Paul said a couple of things yesterday that are worth thinking about:

• "The Bible calls us to live by Biblical standards, not to impose these standards on other people." I often wonder why we spend so much time trying to get those who aren't Christians to live by Christian standards, especially when we have our hands full trying to conform our own lives to Biblical standards.
• "If you want to vote as a Christian, which party represents the greatest window of hope for the poor? That is what is primary in God's economy." Greg went on to say that people who take this question seriously might end up voting for any of the major parties, but that is the issue we should care about as Christians.

So no party is God's party, but faith sure enters into the decisions we make at the ballot box. And the concern isn't about making Canada a Christian country - that is not the government's job, and it never turns out very well. The concern is that we have a just government that allows us to lead "quiet and peaceable lives" and that is just toward the most vulnerable members of our society.

Gary Bergel writes:

Recognizing that we have a kingdom destiny, that we are sown by Christ to be the "good seed" of the new order (Mt 13:38), let us consider how we can adopt a kingdom focus as we relate to the world around us. I believe the hour is upon us—as it came upon Joshua when he looked to enter Jericho (Josh. 5:13-15)—to repent of all partisan, sectarian, and "pet" doctrinal and political persuasions; to humbly regather ourselves unto the person of Christ; and to pray in a simple but wholehearted way, "Thy kingdom come!" For, biblically, this is our primary and transcendent mandate for prayer.

TheStar.com - Liberal switches camps:

In a defection designed to damage Liberal candidate Michael Ignatieff, the president of his Liberal riding association in Etobicoke-Lakeshore endorsed Conservative rival John Capobianco yesterday.

The controversial process by which Ignatieff was acclaimed the candidate over local hopefuls - ruled ineligible by the party at a raucous meeting Nov. 30 - was a major factor in the decision, said Ron Chyczij, who sought the nod himself.

After the nomination fiasco, I've purposely waited on the sidelines to see if Michael Ignatieff can in some way redeem himself as a credible Liberal candidate," Chyczij said in a statement."This has not happened."

I've see people predict a Liberal win in my riding or that it's too close to call, but nobody has suggested a Conservative win in my riding quite yet.

Emergent Canada has a new website. Nice.

Charlene blogged last week about what happened when she took our daughter to emergency last week:

When we arrived at the ER there were NO nurses in at the reception triage to assess incoming patients - None. After waiting patiently for two or three minutes I requested attention from a registration staff person. They paged a nurse. No response. We had obviously arrived during a shift change. It was a full ten minutes before staff arrived to triage Christina and another individual who had arrived before we did. Have I missed an annoucement? When did "back in 10 minutes" become acceptable intake practice at an Ontario hospital Emergency Department?

The shocking thing is what my brother Arthur added in his comment:

Hey, last summer a friend of mine who is an auto mechanic lost three fingers on his right hand in an accident at work. He showed up at the Cobourg Hospital and sat for three hours, (THREE HOURS!!!!) without pain killers, waiting for a doctor to see him. By that time, even though he had brought his fingers with him in a bag of ice, it was too late to do anything to save them.

Hard to believe that stories like this can be told in a country like Canada.

It's election day on Monday here in Canada. I usually try to avoid going into politics on this blog, even though I do have my opinions. Do I ever.

Let's just say that there's one party that I'd find hard to support in this election. Nevertheless, it's always a hard decision to make, especially as you consider all the options. I am in an interesting riding, with a superstar candidate rumored to be a future Liberal leader running after being parachuted in.

So here are my predictions for the results on Monday. I predict a Harper minority with the following breakdown of seats:

Conservative - 120
Liberal - 111
Bloq - 53
NDP - 23
Independent - 1

I'm predicting more Liberal seats than a lot of people. We'll see if I'm right. It should be an interesting night on Monday.

A few great events coming up at Tyndale:

Revive Your Soul - March 13-15, featuring Dallas Willard, Gordon MacDonald, Larry Crabb and Charles Price. It kills me that I'm missing this one but I'll be away.

Evolving Church 2006 - April 8, featuring Brian McLaren, Don Miller, and Chris Seay. Evolving? I guess they're trying to get away from the word emerging.

President's Dinner - On April 4. Haddon Robinson will be speaking again this year. He's an amazing guy; he's the faculty director for my D.Min. at Gordon-Conwell.

Over the past couple of years, I've accumulated a stash of stuff I want to sell on eBay. I finally started listing items a couple of weeks ago.

Things were going okay. A couple of listings were removed because the manufacturer objected. Some manufacturers are pretty strict. You're allowed to sell some of their stuff, but not others. It's not always that clear. I would think when this happens you'd be notified and the listing would be cancelled.

I guess eBay has a "strike two, you're out" policy, because the second time, I received this notice: "We regret to inform you that we have suspended your account for violating eBay's Unauthorised Copies (Copyright) Policy."

Ouch! Not to play the victim, but I didn't even know I was doing anything wrong. No warnings, no temporary suspensions. You're gone.

So as of now, I can't buy or sell anything on eBay. You may be in danger too, associating with a known eBay outlaw: "eBay reserves the right to suspend existing accounts as well as new accounts opened by anyone in the same household of a suspended user or by any other associates of a suspended user."

You can apply for the suspension to be lifted. I've done that; we'll see what happens. From what I can see you just ask and that's about all you can do. They're judge and jury.

There's a lot of stuff on Google about this. I'm certainly not the first one. I feel bad for those who do this for a living. Yes, there are professional eBay merchants. It certainly makes me hesitant to want to go back.

Grrr....I had my iPod mini on there and it was doing well. So frustrating! Strange to be an eBay outlaw.

Just posted a review of God in the Alley. I haven't posted as many reviews as I intended; I'm hoping that will change.

For those of you who live in or near Toronto, Greg Paul will be speaking at Richview this week. I'm looking forward to hearing him.

Link

Tags: God+in+the+Alley, Greg+Paul, Sanctuary+Ministries

Martin pledges to mend Canada-U2 relations.

STRATHROY, ON (CS) - Speaking to reporters in Strathroy, Ontario today, Prime Minister Paul Martin promised to establish high-level diplomatic relations with the pop group, U2. Martin's pledge follows a public dispute last year with U2-lead-singer Bono over Canada's commitment to foreign aid spending. "My administration will build a stronger relationship with Canada's loudest trading partner," said Martin. "We will work toward a Canada-U2 pact covering such mutual issues as: how to dismantle an atomic bomb."

Where have you been all my life?

"Some people die at seventeen and put their funeral off until they're seventy-seven. And I see a lot of dead young people, I see a lot of alive old people." (Bono)

found via

I like most of this letter:

I’m a boomer but I really like emergents. Really. Most of the responses to my columns are from emergents and of course all of my students fit this age group. I like emergents—perhaps too much. Recently I was asked how I’d fare if I left the classroom and had to jump into pastoring. My response: “I’d probably do OK with those under 30 but I might be ineffective with the older more traditional people.” I spend just about all of my time with emergents and I really like you a lot. Here’s what I like about you. (…and I have two cautions at the end too)

Did I mention that the year of emerging criticism is over, and (I think) another phase has begun? I think we'll start to see a move away from the Emergent (TM) label and instead, many of the things Drury mentioned will begin to go mainstream. But I could be wrong.

It's been a week I wouldn't want to repeat. Nothing by itself was overwhelming, but taken together, it took a lot out of me. Too much really.

The good: Back to work (yes, really). Eugene Rivers was good as well.

The bad: Crushing demands and busyness. I had little soul left at the end of the long days. I get focused on task completion and was trying really hard not to. It didn't matter. After two 12-13 days at the start of the week, a few unpleasant surprises, and little space for renewal, I moved into survival mode. And now it's over and it's taking my weekly Sabbath (today) to recover.

And to pledge not to live in this mode next week.

One more thing: I got an e-mail from my Dad's social worker this morning. A neighbor found Dad out on the landing outside his flat after midnight last night, disoriented and not dressed completely appropriately. Police were called, and Dad wandered back into his apartment. They're putting it down to getting out of bed disoriented and walking out the wrong door. Hope that's all it is.

Lord, have mercy.

I'd appreciate prayers for my brother's family. My brother Kevin's mother-in-law passed away yesterday. She had been recovering from an accident that took place late last year.

DRYBURGH Joy (Jocelyn) went home to her Lord on January 12, 2006, at Victoria Hospital, just 8 days short of her 81st birthday. She was predeceased by her husband Dr. Bob (1990). Precious mom to Sharon and Brian Mahon, Heather Dryburgh and Eddie Ebanks, Dean and Lynn Dryburgh and Pam and Kevin Dash. Awesome Grandma to Justin, Amy and Nick Mahon, Kathy and Jeff Buell, Kristy Pearson and Mike Cairns, Jordan, Kim Pearson, Kristen, Melanie, Heather and Brad Dryburgh, Sarah, Meredith and Melissa Dash, and Abuk. Survived by her sister Beverly (George) Madill, and predeceased by her parents James and Jessie Paterson and her brother Grant Paterson. Joy was just that, a joy, and we will deeply miss her laughter, her companionship and her prayer for all of us. She was well loved and respected and had a new awareness of that over the last few weeks, which was an incredible gift from God to her before He took her home. Special thanks to Laurie Shaw and her team, the 4th floor staff at LHSC and the staff (and chef!) at Central Park Lodge for your care for Mom over the last few weeks. Details of visitation and funeral to follow. (James A. Harris Funeral Home, telephone: 433-7253)

A good article on the message of Eugene Rivers:

The strong crime-fighting medicine prescribed by the preacher from Boston has been most bitter for black Toronto, if the grumbling in some quarters about "blaming the victim" is any indication.

But the genius of the good Rev. Eugene Rivers is that he comforts and afflicts at the same time.

He lambastes the "hug-a-thug, paleo-Liberals" who think social programs are going to remove guns from the hands of gangstas. And just when he has you nodding your head in agreement, he excoriates the neo-cons who want to spend millions of dollars on law enforcement "toys" instead of prevention and intervention....

"The middle class, the political leadership and the middle-class church have turned their backs on the poor," Rivers told a meeting of the Etobicoke Strategy, a group of ministers and church leaders in Rexdale, yesterday.

More on the Boston Strategy here and here. Dr. Rivers only covered one point of the ten-point strategy yesterday (that churches adopt youth gangs) but that was challenging enough.

An article about Eugene Rivers in the National Post (subscriber access only):

Eighteen years ago, he moved to Dorchester, one of the grittiest neighbourhoods in Boston.

A local drug dealer showed him the ropes and told him something he has not forgotten: "I'm there when Johnny goes out for a loaf of bread for Mama," the dealer said. "I'm there, you're not. I win, you lose. It's all about being there."

Rev. Rivers has committed himself to living and working with the poor, a model that is already in practice in such neighbourhoods as Regent Park, with the presence of The Salvation Army and its foot soldiers.

"We shop here, we worship here, we become a part of the community and that's what brings transformation," said Major Geoff Ryan, who acted as tour guide for Rev. Rivers.

A few years ago, I sat beside Ken Davis, pastor of Thistletown Baptist in Toronto, and whispered to him, "I love you, but you're still wrong."

Ken laughed. It was a strange way to say hello, but there was a little bit of truth there. Although we pastor churches in the same denomination on the same road, just seven kilometers apart, we could probably get in some interesting debates together.

Little does Ken know that I respect him more than I could ever disagree with him.

Last night, our two churches met at Thistletown to pray for the city. It's a small step I know, but I came away very encouraged. Thistletown is in the middle of Rexdale, a great community whose name has been tarnished recently by shootings and gangs. Thistletown, led by Ken, has consistently shown a heart for the community, and it seemed the least we could do to join them and to pray for the city together.

I am just beginning to learn some of the things that this church has been doing for years.

Ken (who comments here regularly) has a sharp theological mind, a wit to match, a heart for the community and for justice, and loves spicy food just like me. His most glaring fault is that he dislikes boiled cabbage, and even thinks it was invented after the Fall. Nobody's perfect.

But it was good to meet with some great people last night and realize that we are all in it together, and that maybe with God's help we can learn from each other, and become what we should be in a city that could use a touch from God's hand.

It's been a great couple of weeks of vacation. Kids got off school late this year, and since I had some vacation time available, I've been off as well.

Today is the first day that's like our normal schedule: cleaning, hockey for Josiah, and thinking about tomorrow's sermon (prepared a couple of weeks ago).

Some random things I've been thinking about the past couple of weeks:

• I love preaching, but I really do not crave being the center of attention. For some reason I've been thinking about how this takes away some of the joy of preaching for me.
• I've been reading iCon about Steve Jobs. Jobs is a flawed man with three things going for him: persistence, drive, and somehow being around the right people at the right time. It's been a good book, because Jobs has alternated between being a colossal success and failure. Sometimes there's not much difference. Hard to imagine anyone changing three industries (computer, movies, and music) as much as he has.
• I've also been reading Mike Slaughter's Momentum for Life. It's a good book to kick off the New Year.
• How do some people, like Tim Challies, get so much done in a day? He has at least one substantial post a day, reads and reviews books like crazy, runs his own business, and has a family. It's something.
• I have a column that's going to be starting soon in Christian Week, every three issues. Looking forward to it.
• I've been thinking about this article on the Missional Church. It's a good one.

Dr. Eugene Rivers, one of the architects of the Boston Miracle that saw shooting deaths plummet in the 1990s after pastors and police mentored and counseled youth, is coming to Toronto next week.

Dr. Rivers will be speaking in Rexdale at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Rexdale next Tuesday. This is the same church where Amon Beckles was killed while attending the funeral of a friend, another murder victim.

From an article from Inside Toronto:

Strategy members are Etobicoke pastors and police, using Rivers' Boston Strategy model in Rexdale to turn youth away from a life of crime and violence. So far, strategy members have launched homework clubs and basketball programs in schools, and walk at-risk communities with police to build relationships with residents.

Dr. Rivers comes at the invitation of the GTA Faith Alliance.

Location: Seventh Day Adventist Church, Rexdale (1621 Albion Road Etobicoke)

Time: Tuesday, January 10th at 7:00 p.m.

A column on the gun violence in Toronto, with some great insights by Colin McCartney, executive director of Urban Promise Toronto:

McCartney's solutions knock conventional wisdom. A strong law and order approach won't work. ("If you have no hope, you don't care if you get arrested.") Investing in youth programs won't work. ("It's not enough. In some cases, if you get a 17- or 18-year-old who's messed up, it's too late.") And he has harsh words for church leaders who parachute into a community, host a BBQ, do a "prayer walk" to places where violence has occurred, then leave. All that does is further stigmatize and stereotype the community as a "bad" place, says McCartney. Even worse, the Christians aren't there to help the rest of the time.

His solution is two-fold: Focus on children. Be there.

...McCartney sees himself and his staff as "hope-brokers" giving young children and youth positive role models, help and hope for a better future outside the violence they see.

The last time New Year's Day fell on a Sunday, it was an off day. I preached to less than ten people that morning. To make it worse, a delegate from the search committee from a larger church attended that morning to check me out. I talked to him later and he said, "The morning wasn't a complete waste, because I found a good donut shop after church."

One day I'm going to write a book for search committees on what not to say to pastors. I have stories.

As a result of that last experience, I was a little concerned about how things would turn out today. While everyone else was obsessing over Christmas Sunday, I was wondering if anyone would turn up for church this morning.

They did. We sat in a big circle, sang a few songs, and then I asked a question: "How has God been good to you this past year?" Then I threw open the floor. It was, I think, one of the most encouraging gatherings we've had in a long time.

To top it off, after the service two people asked if they could be baptized.

A nice way to start the year.

Tags: New+Year's+Sunday

Radio address by King George VI in 1939:

A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle we shall remain undaunted.

In the meantime I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I would like to say to you: 'I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, "Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way."

Update: Thanks to Rev. Mike who set me straight on which king said this.