Korean translation of Down in the River to Pray

John Mark Hicks, one of my seminary professors, a good friend and co-author of Down in the River to Pray: Revisioning Baptism as God’s Transforming Work, just emailed me this morning to say he hopes I didn’t mind if he wrote the preface for a Korean translation.

I’m very happy to hear about the Korean translation and grateful to those funding it, publishing and promoting the book. May it produce kingdom fruit.

I would think translating a book like ours would be very tedious. Writing it came with much prayer and fasting . . . and re-writing. Leonard Allen is my editor and friend, and he helped me work through draft after draft. And as much as I ripped JM for any hyper-theologese, he would rip me for my inattention to theological precision. I think we’re saved by/through/in/because/for grace through/by/in/heretofore/ faith . . . but apparently the placement of those darn prepositions matters, so I’d go back to write more closely what Paul said, what sound theology would have me write.

Writing River was painstaking. My training is in journalism and theology, and those two things ought to serve writing well, but writing about such a big sacred cow in Churches of Christ and knowing those things would go far and wide was fairly new to me at the time. I was pretty engrossed. My family and co-workers noticed and told me about it as needed, and I appreciate that. I was in over my head in some ways.

Writing with John Mark was a great honor, but I had been his student! Still, I wouldn’t trade that experience or time for anything (uh, well, maybe if all that prayer and fasting and 18 months writing instead produced fiction that the NY Times called “the best novel in the English language” I’d have to think hard about that :-).

But when I hear of people who read our book and are set free from legalism, from line-drawing, and they launch a new journey in Christ . . . I feel our paths are meeting on the way to Jesus, and I’m set free again.

 

Never saw them as human beings

‘I Never Saw Them as Human Beings’ (by Omar Al-Rikabi)Over the last five years, as I have shared my family’s story in churches and chapel services, I get a very common response: “I never saw them as human beings. I never thought to pray for the Iraqi people.” This disturbs me. Even more disturbing is that many of the people who confess this to me are pastors and missionaries. They champion the need for food, plumbing, and medicine in so many parts of the world, but seem to hit the brakes when it comes to Iraq and the Middle East. I have visited many congregations around the country – Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Non-denominational – and I see a recurring pattern: nine times out of ten the pastor will pray for the safety and success of the (US) troops, but does not offer one prayer for the people and needs of Iraq.

From Sojourners email

One thing we do at Garnett Church is to pray for everyone involved in the conflict. We pray for Iraqis as well as the US troops. Our Lord said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Americans and Iraqis are not the only ones in the conflict. People from many countries are involved in this war.

 

God bless the world

 

Keith Green

My sister, Debbie, introduced me to Keith Green. John Barton was my second and last college roommate before I started rooming with my wife. John had also been introduced to Keith Green, I think maybe by his sister as well. In those college years, Green’s music moved me deeply, sometimes to tears and incredible conviction.

See and hear more of his story

Sometimes I go back to that music. It still moves me. I think because of the powerful story of Keith Green’s life that goes along with the music. He was a struggling journeyman who could softly touch your heart one minute, then rip it out the next. By today’s standards, if you’ve never heard his music, some of it might sound cheesy, but other songs are enduring. As one music promoter who first heard him in the 70s said, he rips the keyboard to shreds and commands this instrument . . . and he sang songs about Jesus, who he was learning about and following with abandon, and would sing, “Jesus, commands us to go . . . it should be the exception if we stay . . . it’s no wonder we’re moving so slow, when his church refuses to obey, feeling so called to stay.”

 

Going on a mission trip in 2008?

You’re thinking about a mission trip in 2008 . . . and you have questions, perhaps for you, a friend or relative, students or a whole group . . .

Can I drink the water? But I don’t speak the language! You want me to sleep where? They eat what? How am I going to raise that much money? Is it really God’s will for me to go? I don’t know how to share the gospel.

Are you ready for your short-term trip? How do you get ready? More than two million Americans will go into all the world on short-term missions trips in 2008. Are you ready to be one of them?

Anne-Geri’ Fann and I have written a short-termers survival guide! We have years of experience as both long-term and short-term missionaries and have led teams there–and the always important . . . back safely. With humor and brevity–the book is just over 100 pages–we help you prep and pack for the trip, and we put our arms around you while you’re gone (I suppose you could cuddle with the book), and offer perspective as you re-enter “normal” life.

How to Get Ready for Short-Term Missions: the ultimate guide for sponsors, parents, and those who go will help you:

Pack your suitcase and prepare your heart
* Build genuine relationships with the locals
* Understand cultural differences
* Deal with physical fatigue
* Combat stretched emotions

There’s even a chapter for clammy-handed parents!

With humor and experience, help you ask questions you can’t hide from and help you focus on your true mission, so you can act like the One you are calling people to follow while on your trip, and not like an ugly American!

Order it from Amazon or find it at your local bookstore.

* Paperback: 136 pages
* Publisher: Thomas Nelson (2006)
* ISBN: 1418509779

 

Remembering Moses and Adam

I wrote this last January but never posted it, but wanted to share this on the one year anniversary of Moses Kimezi’s and Adam Langford’s deaths in Uganda.

January has been filled with saddness over the death of friends, ice, cancellations, disorientation. Come February, come. So artificial, those month markers, but all the same I told Jill, “I’m grateful for a new month.”

In through the cracks of pain come moments of illumination and joy. The only reason I can fathom losing a son or a brother now is because I’ve watched faithful friends do it with grace and peace and brokenness and tears and even great laughter. We have lost our incredible friends Adam Langford and Adam Kimezi, but being present with close family and friends in their suffering, says Adam’s last journal entry, is all we can do sometimes.

 

Crown Financial Freedom Seminar

Like most of you, Jill and I have experienced financial peaks and valleys. The peaks are not just windfalls of money. The peaks can be the blessing, hard-work and grace of God to pay off debts and be financially free to give away more. The valleys can be the reality of debts that can pile up when life hits you from different directions.

An illness or surgery, braces or serious dental work, college, an accident–so many ways we can get financially derailed. You’ve experienced these things yourself! That’s why I’m very excited about the Crown Financial Freedom Seminar Garnett is hosting January 19, 2008.

We’ve invited the community, put an ad in Community Spirit Magazine, promoted this widely in the community, and everyone is invited–both those struggling and those who are on solid footing but want to continue so and help others.

Walk up registrations are welcome. Just show up Saturday at 8:15 am and register. Seminar starts at 8:45 and goes through 4 pm. Cost is only $25 each. Breakfast and lunch will be served for donations only.

 

“Going Public” with Oil & Water Mission

It’s time to go public with this . . .

I believe oil and gas companies have the means and expertise to make a huge impact on the water crisis in the world.

Americans are willing to pay more for water than gas. They buy water in bottles for what would amount to $8 a gallon or about $400 a barrel. At the same time, one billion people in the world have no clean water to drink. In the time it takes you to read this sentence, another person has died in the world of a preventable water-borne illness. Thousands daily literally pay with their lives for the bad water they drink.

Not-for-profit organization are struggling to help drill wells, purify water, and they are not making a dent in the problem. What if not-for-profits meet with for-profit companies to address the water issues in the world? How can for-profit companies find viable ways to increase profits while helping the world water crisis? Or how can they be charitable in an area that relates to their core business of drilling/exploration/production.

It’s not just oil and gas companies that can play an important role in addressing the water crisis in the world. I want to help unite companies with money and ability with those (currently mostly non-profit) organizations that are helping produce water in places worldwide that have needs. Why can’t for-profit and non-profits work together to find solutions?

What can you–what can we together–do to help people have good water?

Here’s a headline that I want to see in the newspaper (or digital halogram-o-phone) in 2028:

Oil & Gas Companies Complete Two Decade Project: Everyone in the World Has Access to Clean Water

This Saturday, January 12, 8 am-10am, in the Great Room of Green Country Event Center in Tulsa (12000 E 31st St. Tulsa, OK 74146), a small group of people will gather to start a conversation about how oil and gas companies can help produce water for many of the 1 billion people in the world today who suffer without the most basic need: water.

Our guest speaker is Bobby Gardner who works with The Kibo Group (www.kibogroup.org), an East Africa development organization. Bobby and his wife, Candace, are leaving in a few weeks to do development in Uganda. They are looking for support from churches, individuals or companies for the ministry, water, reforestation, and economic projects they are doing.

The goals of this meeting are two-fold: 1) to learn from each other what efforts are going on worldwide and to build synergy and not re-invent the wheel if some are doing a much better job in water projects, 2) find out how we can support those doing development projects and connect them with those in like industries, namely oil and gas with water projects and specifically the Gardners and generally the dozens of water projects going in many parts of the world.

Here is a proposed agenda for the 2 hours.

1. Welcome and Introductions by attendees with brief description of their interest or projects - Greg Taylor
2. Guest speaker - Bobby Gardner
3. Responses, Questions, and Overviews from attendees
4. Water Treatment Project - Tim Schweikhard
5. Wrap Up & More about the The Kibo Group - Clint Davis

Coffee and continental breakfast will be provided.

Please forward this to anyone in Tulsa or surrounding areas who may be interested.

Contact Greg Taylor (gtaylor@garnettchurch.org) for more information or with questions.

Thank you,
Greg Taylor

 

600,000 without power in Oklahoma

I got my answer to the question, “Why do people go for milk and bread” when a winter storm is predicted. You never know.

How could we have known power would be out for 600,000 in Oklahoma? Turns out it was smart to buy milk and bread, because with trees down and power out, few stores could even open after the storm. Even mighty Wal-Mart has been crippled, though a friend was checking out when power went out, and the back up system kicked in for the cash registers and they never missed a “beep.”

How do you function while homebound without electricity in freezing weather? Some go to shelters, others to hotels. We decided to stay home and shared food and time with several neighbors. Some neighbors got generators. We have a gas fireplace and kept that going and cooked on the gas grill outside. Anna and two of her friends even made “no-bake” cookies on the grill burner.

Today, as most everything finished thawing, we cooked as we needed to for certain foods. We emptied lots of freezer bags into a pot and made some great chili that included cut up extra hamburgers from the day before. We kept some food outside where it was colder than the fridge or freezer.

Over the last three days, we’ve enjoyed fun times with neighbors, friends, family, playing games and eating together. Thanks to the Kings, Clarks, Smiths, Davises, Hodges for the fun times and helping and feeding each other.

We fed a few mouths here but ate breakfast at the Smiths, dinner at Kings one night, Davises the next and tonight Wade and Heather Hodges brought over meat that was thawing in their freezer, and Wade grilled four kinds of surf and turf. Good stuff.

Power returned for us this afternoon, but for still tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands across the state, power has still not been restored.

One of the funniest things about these storms is that when people are homebound, power and school are out, they go a little crazy, become disoriented. Their children make them nuts, and so what do they do? They put the kids to bed, go into the bedroom by candle light, shut the door, and start making more kids. Go figure.

They say most of the hospitals are online now and doing fine, but they’d better start thinking about hiring more maternity staff in August 2008.

 

Milk and bread and freezing rain

Why does everyone go for milk and bread when a winter storm is rolling in?

How often do you hear thunder in December with a freezing rain? We just heard several peals of thunder, and the rain is almost certain to turn the streets to ice rinks tomorrow.

Memorial Church of Christ canceled their worship this morning and brought Garnett Church of Christ their already purchased donuts. See, good things can happen when you slide into church.

The children are giddy, hoping school will be called off tomorrow. Jill is concerned because her Tulsa Community College students are supposed to take a math final tomorrow. Will they study tonight with the specter of no class tomorrow?

These times when I stay home with the kids, thinking I might get some writing done, I instead get pulled outside with the kids to play hockey or sled, and I nearly kill myself falling. Last year I fell several times and it hurts more after 40 than before.

But falling is a small price for the memories children have of snow days.