Part of my routine for the past few months has been attempting to bike commute to work a couple times a week. If you have never experienced bike commuting, I highly recommend it. It's a great way to get a work out, transport yourself, and slow down life a little bit. On top of that you save money and the environment. Pretty much a win win all around.
So the other day I decided to try to find a route that was not quite as hilly. In order to do that I figured I might be able to stay along the river for longer and that would save some time. During this experiment I found a great old canal trail to do some "off road" biking. I always liked getting off the roads into the inconsistant paths of nature and bringing some adventure to my commute. I got into work alright, not really saving any time, but I had some fun in doing it. I figured I would give it a try for the way home later that day.
It's a windy day and I'm thinking to myself that this will be even better, getting off road to stay out of the wind. I'm pushing myself pretty good going over leaves, gravel, small sticks, and whatever else nature will throw my way. I get through the first half of the ride home and come to a point where I decide to try to follow the river even longer. This portion of the trail goes between railroad and what's called "single track" which pretty much means "skinny with lots of branches." I'm doing well to this point so I take this harder route. Back in my prime, this is what I would have really enjoyed (and I did this time too) but I come to a section where its a very steep down hill with a sharp right hand turn at the bottom. I start down it and start making the turn a little too early projecting myself over the front of my bike landing on my back with the bike on top of me. Impressive.
My life tends to be like this. Instead of enjoying the moment and the time I have in it, I will usually look for the quickest way to the next "stopping point." I was doing this so much with my bike commuting that I actually removed my watch because I would time myself every trip to see if I could beat my time. When I do anything with the point of making a short cut to just save time, I typically crash, from either flipping over the front or just burning out.
It was a fun ride home, though it did take me 7 minutes longer than normal. Instead of finding an easier way, I found that it was only easier in theory. What else am I trying to find a short cut for?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
the (community) cost of unemployment
In a world impacted by a deep recession, we all realize that unemployment hurts those who have lost jobs. People lose their source of income, they play into the credit game to make ends meet, and next thing they know they are facing the very real face of poverty in their own lives. Those of us who have been blessed enough to “weather” the recession relatively unscathed are overlooking a hidden reality though. The unemployment of others in our community is costly to us who are neighbors to the unemployed as well.
When an individual becomes unemployed they often receive social benefits designed to temporarily assist in sustaining an individual or family. Government programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and food stamps or private assistance programs are available to help individuals and families through these ordeals. However, these cost community money. According to www.modestneeds.org, this can be as high as $8664.36 per person each year for public assistance.
The other side of this coin is the amount of revenue a community loses when an individual is not working. If a worker is making $10 an hour (what many would consider a “living” wage), they have a take home pay of $17,777.16 each year that is predominately reinvested into the community (rent, food, etc.). When both aspects are taken into consideration, unemployment has a total effect of $26,441.52 on the community per each unemployed individual!
We need to evaluate what our inacation actually costs. It's easy for us to look at this and place blame, "why aren't these people working? they should just get a job!". What are we doing to assist in this? It's time to stop looking out only for ourselves, but to truly be neighbors to those who most need it. It's messy, it's hard, it's frustrating, it's right. Build your community. What are some of the ways you are developing your local community?
When an individual becomes unemployed they often receive social benefits designed to temporarily assist in sustaining an individual or family. Government programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and food stamps or private assistance programs are available to help individuals and families through these ordeals. However, these cost community money. According to www.modestneeds.org, this can be as high as $8664.36 per person each year for public assistance.
The other side of this coin is the amount of revenue a community loses when an individual is not working. If a worker is making $10 an hour (what many would consider a “living” wage), they have a take home pay of $17,777.16 each year that is predominately reinvested into the community (rent, food, etc.). When both aspects are taken into consideration, unemployment has a total effect of $26,441.52 on the community per each unemployed individual!
We need to evaluate what our inacation actually costs. It's easy for us to look at this and place blame, "why aren't these people working? they should just get a job!". What are we doing to assist in this? It's time to stop looking out only for ourselves, but to truly be neighbors to those who most need it. It's messy, it's hard, it's frustrating, it's right. Build your community. What are some of the ways you are developing your local community?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
love and wrath.
Today I was reading Psalms 2. As I was reading through it a couple things stood out to me. First, the significant foreshadowing of Jesus' ministry (see vs. 2, 7-8). Secondly, the emphasis the author puts on the wrath and vengeance of the Lord.
God is all powerful, creator of the universe, all knowing, etc., but I sometimes have trouble putting this idea that "his wrath can flare up in a moment" (Psalm 2:12) and "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Maybe you are with me on this. But then I try to put myself into as similar a position as possible (i.e. God's view rather than my own), and I think I have come to somewhat of a better understanding of this dichotomy. Let me explain.
I work in Center City Allentown helping (or trying to) chronically unemployed and the homeless try to find work (and actually succeed in their positions). When I start working with somebody, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, I encourage them, give them opportunities for support, and as many chances to "move ahead" as possible. Some individuals respond well to this, they show increased self esteem, a new attitude towards finding a job, and eventually succeed. Others, however, choose not to follow the directives of the program, start pushing the limits to exploit the benefits, and even sell drugs outside the building during training hours. Despite my desire to help them and see them succeed, I have to admit, they make me extremely angry- even to the point of removing them from the program.
One would say that I have every right to remove them from the program. They choose not to follow the directions of the program, even though those rules lead to many benefits for them, and they go their own way, putting them back into the same destructive cycles they were a part of before they entered the program. God has set up the same thing for us: His Son IS the directive he has given us. The benefits of following Jesus are numerous; right relationship with God, Heaven, joy that surpasses understanding, etc. God has done a lot to make those things possible. Ultimately, if we choose to go our own way rather than follow God, he is going to be upset- as Psalms 2 points out.
God's wrath is a wrath of frustration, not hate. It is because He has loved so much that his wrath is so great. Not an easy thought to get past, but in the end, would we really do it differently?
God is all powerful, creator of the universe, all knowing, etc., but I sometimes have trouble putting this idea that "his wrath can flare up in a moment" (Psalm 2:12) and "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Maybe you are with me on this. But then I try to put myself into as similar a position as possible (i.e. God's view rather than my own), and I think I have come to somewhat of a better understanding of this dichotomy. Let me explain.
I work in Center City Allentown helping (or trying to) chronically unemployed and the homeless try to find work (and actually succeed in their positions). When I start working with somebody, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, I encourage them, give them opportunities for support, and as many chances to "move ahead" as possible. Some individuals respond well to this, they show increased self esteem, a new attitude towards finding a job, and eventually succeed. Others, however, choose not to follow the directives of the program, start pushing the limits to exploit the benefits, and even sell drugs outside the building during training hours. Despite my desire to help them and see them succeed, I have to admit, they make me extremely angry- even to the point of removing them from the program.
One would say that I have every right to remove them from the program. They choose not to follow the directions of the program, even though those rules lead to many benefits for them, and they go their own way, putting them back into the same destructive cycles they were a part of before they entered the program. God has set up the same thing for us: His Son IS the directive he has given us. The benefits of following Jesus are numerous; right relationship with God, Heaven, joy that surpasses understanding, etc. God has done a lot to make those things possible. Ultimately, if we choose to go our own way rather than follow God, he is going to be upset- as Psalms 2 points out.
God's wrath is a wrath of frustration, not hate. It is because He has loved so much that his wrath is so great. Not an easy thought to get past, but in the end, would we really do it differently?
Monday, September 28, 2009
the time has come.... and gone.
Looking back over this past month, things have been hectic to say the least. When you first start talking about launching a new church (or any major undertaking for that matter) there are countless twists, turns, surprises, and joys that you encounter. And all this work is done and prayed through and thought about until you get to a pinnacle, a crux of the issue. And then it's gone.
We have experienced this at Riverbend. We have done (most of) everything we needed to do to launch a new community of faith in the Lehigh Valley. We didn't want to stop at just one launch day, so we made a launch month to celebrate and kick off this adventure. And now that time has come and gone and we are at a very new point. We have transitioned our "Advance" Team to a "Leadership" Team, we have made the jump from preparing monthly gatherings to going weekly, and we have even doubled the number of community group studies. But what we find now, is that our reliance on God to maintain us and support us has grown exponentially. Much of what took us a year and a half of labor to prepare for now has to be done in a week. We have to now transition our roles to not only setting direction and systems, but to training leaders to minister to those that God brings through our lives. We have to make sure we are who God created Riverbend to be.
Our launch on September 13th was a huge pinnacle for us, and God richly blessed that occasion. But what I am realizing now is that God, even through the messiness of life, is daily giving me opportunities to rely on Him for these challenges and moments. I am growing increasingly certain that the harder I try in my own effort, the harder the problem seems. God has given us the blessing of being a part of HIS work, He has not given me the assignment of doing it for Him. As I write this I am struck with the feeling that I may have been looking for MY time to come, and all the work I was doing to make that happen. Jesus, may my time be gone, and your time come.
Check out what God is doing at www.riverbendonline.org
We have experienced this at Riverbend. We have done (most of) everything we needed to do to launch a new community of faith in the Lehigh Valley. We didn't want to stop at just one launch day, so we made a launch month to celebrate and kick off this adventure. And now that time has come and gone and we are at a very new point. We have transitioned our "Advance" Team to a "Leadership" Team, we have made the jump from preparing monthly gatherings to going weekly, and we have even doubled the number of community group studies. But what we find now, is that our reliance on God to maintain us and support us has grown exponentially. Much of what took us a year and a half of labor to prepare for now has to be done in a week. We have to now transition our roles to not only setting direction and systems, but to training leaders to minister to those that God brings through our lives. We have to make sure we are who God created Riverbend to be.
Our launch on September 13th was a huge pinnacle for us, and God richly blessed that occasion. But what I am realizing now is that God, even through the messiness of life, is daily giving me opportunities to rely on Him for these challenges and moments. I am growing increasingly certain that the harder I try in my own effort, the harder the problem seems. God has given us the blessing of being a part of HIS work, He has not given me the assignment of doing it for Him. As I write this I am struck with the feeling that I may have been looking for MY time to come, and all the work I was doing to make that happen. Jesus, may my time be gone, and your time come.
Check out what God is doing at www.riverbendonline.org
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Numb3rs.
Yea, there is a TV show by that name. I have to admit I've never seen it. My understanding is that it is a crime mystery show that uses math and numbers to solve whatever the crime is on that show. I'm not really sure how one makes a show about that, but actuaries around the country are probably really excited.
Numbers can say a lot and I think that, when used correctly, they can help to at least identify problems that need to be worked on. This is true, even in the church. I ran across this interesting article from the Gallup organization (http://www.gallup.com/poll/117382/Church-Going-Among-Catholics-Slides-Tie-Protestants.aspx). In the article, it discusses how individuals who consider themselves "Christian" regularly attend church. The fascinating statistic is not that Catholics are now on par with Protestant Christians in their weekly church attendance, but rather, how on average, only 45% of all Christians say they attended church within the last week.
Now, statistics can say a lot of different things, and these numbers may be variable based on the time of year, area of the country (http://www.gallup.com/poll/122075/Religious-Identity-States-Differ-Widely.aspx), and age (only 38% of Protestant and 30% of Catholics in their 20's have attended church in the past week) of the sample, but I don't believe any of these variables hit the root of the issue. Church is losing its draw and attendance because we, as the Church, have lost sight of what Church is. For many of us, church is something we go to on Sunday's to hear a message, sing some songs, give our money, and maybe get some coffee. For others, church is the place that makes us get up early on the weekend, or miss the big game. It's something that we do on one or maybe two days of the week. We can check it off our list, put it on our schedule, and if we can't make it for a while, that's OK because our faith is personal. This idea is also unbiblical.
When we look at idea of the Church in the New Testament, it is vibrant and alive. It is a community of individuals where life is shared and individuals are urged on in the faith. Jesus did not say, "go into all the world and put on good shows and give good speeches about me." He said that we are to "go and make disciples", to help bring people into relationship with Him. This idea of community runs rampant throughout the Bible. Paul even says, "don't give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing." Church then turns into something we are, as a collective group. Really, without a community of other believers, our faith is lacking at best, and non-existent at worst.
Now the Church has not always been all that it should be, and some people have very good reasons as to why they don't go to Church. Abuse, scandals, bad doctrine, hypocrisy; there is no such thing as the perfect church. But truly living in a community of faith means that we don't go into it thinking about "what can this church do for me?" but rather, we enter into a partnership to help others seek and honor God according to the scriptures and to be helped in that process. We come together to fight against our spiritual enemies, for our world, our marriages, our faith, our communities. Our culture has lost a vital ally when the Church becomes something we do rather than something we are.
This is the great part of being involved in a new church start up. We don't have to work through the years of tradition and bad habits that have brought many churches to the point of irrelevance. Instead, we can focus our efforts on being a community where Jesus is exalted above all else and we can partner with one another to live out God's passions in the Lehigh Valley and around the world. You can check out how we are (trying) to do this at www.riverbendonline.org
Numbers can say a lot and I think that, when used correctly, they can help to at least identify problems that need to be worked on. This is true, even in the church. I ran across this interesting article from the Gallup organization (http://www.gallup.com/poll/117382/Church-Going-Among-Catholics-Slides-Tie-Protestants.aspx). In the article, it discusses how individuals who consider themselves "Christian" regularly attend church. The fascinating statistic is not that Catholics are now on par with Protestant Christians in their weekly church attendance, but rather, how on average, only 45% of all Christians say they attended church within the last week.
Now, statistics can say a lot of different things, and these numbers may be variable based on the time of year, area of the country (http://www.gallup.com/poll/122075/Religious-Identity-States-Differ-Widely.aspx), and age (only 38% of Protestant and 30% of Catholics in their 20's have attended church in the past week) of the sample, but I don't believe any of these variables hit the root of the issue. Church is losing its draw and attendance because we, as the Church, have lost sight of what Church is. For many of us, church is something we go to on Sunday's to hear a message, sing some songs, give our money, and maybe get some coffee. For others, church is the place that makes us get up early on the weekend, or miss the big game. It's something that we do on one or maybe two days of the week. We can check it off our list, put it on our schedule, and if we can't make it for a while, that's OK because our faith is personal. This idea is also unbiblical.
When we look at idea of the Church in the New Testament, it is vibrant and alive. It is a community of individuals where life is shared and individuals are urged on in the faith. Jesus did not say, "go into all the world and put on good shows and give good speeches about me." He said that we are to "go and make disciples", to help bring people into relationship with Him. This idea of community runs rampant throughout the Bible. Paul even says, "don't give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing." Church then turns into something we are, as a collective group. Really, without a community of other believers, our faith is lacking at best, and non-existent at worst.
Now the Church has not always been all that it should be, and some people have very good reasons as to why they don't go to Church. Abuse, scandals, bad doctrine, hypocrisy; there is no such thing as the perfect church. But truly living in a community of faith means that we don't go into it thinking about "what can this church do for me?" but rather, we enter into a partnership to help others seek and honor God according to the scriptures and to be helped in that process. We come together to fight against our spiritual enemies, for our world, our marriages, our faith, our communities. Our culture has lost a vital ally when the Church becomes something we do rather than something we are.
This is the great part of being involved in a new church start up. We don't have to work through the years of tradition and bad habits that have brought many churches to the point of irrelevance. Instead, we can focus our efforts on being a community where Jesus is exalted above all else and we can partner with one another to live out God's passions in the Lehigh Valley and around the world. You can check out how we are (trying) to do this at www.riverbendonline.org
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