Olympics: The Power of Story

The Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics allows the host nation to tell a story about themselves on the world's stage. Every couple of years, hours of planning and millions of dollars go into the telling of that story.

One of the most memorable ceremonies in recent history was the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. China did an incredible job. The scene I remember most was the segment when over 2,000 drummers gave a well-synchronized performance the world remembered well.

But if you watched the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, then your memory will most likely be this...

At least if you are an American. If you watched the Sochi Olympics in Russia, you would have seen this...

Apparently, Russian TV covered up the Olympic Rings malfunction by showing pre-recorded footage that showed that rings as they were meant to look. 

That's not the only difference between the Sochi Opening Ceremony and my memory. It seemed their telling of Soviet history was a bit different than I learned in my history classes. They focused on the more glorious parts of Soviet history rather than the brutal history of what Communist dictators have done to their own people. The number of Russians killed by their own government in the 20th century alone is in the 10s of millions. The Cold War wasn't even referenced. 

The ceremony was reminiscent of all things Putin. He likes his Olympic ceremonies like he likes his children's school history textbooks: censored and edited by Putin himself.

It reminds me of a story from my time as a tutor at Abilene Christian University. For two days a week, I was the tutor for the Bible department. On a mundane Thursday, I remember teaching several students about the gospels. As an illustration, I mentioned the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But before I could finish the illustration, an international student from Japan raised her hand and asked me, "What are you talking about? What happened at Pearl Harbor?" 

In her schooling in Japan, they had conveniently chosen to tell about Hiroshima without talking about Pearl Harbor. 

But it's easy to point out the inconsistencies of the ways other countries narrate their history. It's much harder to admit where our biases blind us. 

For example...

Americans have a story we are trying to tell about these Olympics. 

The top stories American news agencies and television stations focused on were not about athletes and events. The top stories I saw were about the threat of terrorism, #SochiProblems, and Russia's "gay propaganda" laws. 

The negative focus of the reporting comes from our slant on Russia. Though the Cold War is over, our cold relationship with Russia hasn't warmed. There's still Olympic tension after all of these years. In 1980, the United States boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow. In 1984, the Soviet Union boycotted the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It was a "Cold Olympic War" of sorts. 

And all of that history impacts the way we interpret the same event. The Russians aren't the only ones who make edits because of an agenda.

During the same ceremony where Russians "saw" their rings open up perfectly, NBC edited the speech of International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. He made a strong statement against "any form of discrimination" and in favor of tolerance. Worldwide viewers saw the full statement, but NBC viewers in the US did not because the network edited it out.

If you want to watch the edited and unedited videos or read the transcript, check it out here.

Why were those sections edited out? Bach's words seem to condemn Putin's civil rights' record. Could it be that NBC edited out those words so that one of their main news stories about "gay propaganda" laws could continue to be a focus of reporting during the remainder of the Olympics?

We all view events from our perspective. We can't help but view things from our perspective. We see details we are taught to see. We miss details our lenses are built to edit out.

Postmodernism isn't a perfect worldview. By the way, I hope we can all admit the same thing for modernism.

But one thing postmodernism has given us is a sensitivity to the stories of people who grew up with different stories. We need the stories of minorities whose experiences remind us that America has not always been and still struggles to be a place where all people are endowed with equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

Some see a ring missing. And others see all five rings.

Some hear words about tolerance. Others hear edited speeches that confirm our suspicions.

It's dangerous to believe in a wrong story. 

But it's equally dangerous to believe in a single story.

For more thoughts on the danger of a single story, watch Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie's TED talk. 

Go Broncos!

I am a Dallas Cowboys fan.

I'll always be a Cowboys fan.

I grew up expecting Super Bowl victories in the 90s. They came easy. The love America's Team. I loved the Big 3: Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.

But it has been a difficult stretch.

Since 1997, the Cowboys have won 1 playoff game. Ouch!

Over the past three years, the Cowboys have ended their seasons with an 8-8 record, which is quite a bit better than the 4 total wins they posted in the 1988-1989 seasons, but the team has fallen on hard times.

In the midst of many fair-weather fans who are switching their loyalties, Holly and I are staying strong. We're Cowboy fans during this season so we can enjoy being Cowboys fans in better seasons.

But...

It sure is nice to be in a city excited to root for their team in the Super Bowl. In an attempt to be "all things to all people," I've grown into a Broncos fan as well. I like Peyton Manning and would love to see him win another Super Bowl.

Last time a team from the city I lived in went to the Super Bowl, it didn't go well. In Super Bowl XXIX, the San Diego Chargers lost 49-26 at the hands of Steve Young, Jerry Rice and the rest of the San Francisco 49ers, a team I loved to hate as a Cowboys fan growing up.

Let's hope the outcome is better this year for the Broncos.

Go Broncos. Beat the Seahawks!

And Jerry Jones...instead of watching the Super Bowl, please work on your draft plan. That's time well spent!

Socially Acceptable Religion

Recently, I was listening to Krista Tippett's podcast, "On Being," when she interviewed Phyllis Tickle. Phyllis, founding editor of Religion Department at Publisher's Weekly, is an important voice in the American religious landscape. Her book, The Great Emergence, is one of the best books I've read in the past few years.

On the program, she made a statement that has captured my imagination over the past few days:

"It's very dangerous for one's soul to be a part of a religion that's socially acceptable." -Phyllis Tickle

Which got me to thinking, "What is our end, our goal, when it comes to Christianity's impact on culture?"

It's something we ought to be crystal clear on.

What are we trying to do as Christians?
What is our goal?
And what is our means to that goal?

Do you have it in mind?

Good!

Now, a cautionary tale.

For its first 3 centuries of existence, the early church was not considered socially acceptable. Christians were the targets of persecution. Many were martyred for their faith.

But early in the 4th century, all of that changed. The church became socially acceptable.

The change was slow, but sweeping. Christians went from persecuted minority to the official religion of the Roman Empire within a period of 70 years.

Now, if you are a Christian during this period, this has to be the greatest development you could imagine. Who would have thought that a religion that began with several hundred witnesses would become the official religion of the Roman Empire? Who would have thought that the empire that killed the Apostle Paul would one day build cathedrals to house worship to Paul's God.

Can you imagine being a parent or grandparent who lived under persecution? All of those prayers you prayed to God have been answered. Your children and grandchildren won't have to live out their faith under the threat of persecution or death. God had finally come through.

Which is a change of sorts for this God.

After all, this God never seemed all that good at making his people socially acceptable. The people of God have always been on the underside of empires more powerful than they. They lived under several empires: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Rome.

And while being socially acceptable must have seemed like a positive development to Christians during that time period, it wasn't all positive.

Because when everyone's a Christian, very few are truly Christians. It's one thing to claim Christianity when it might cost you your life, but it's another thing to claim the name of Christ when the emperor worships your God.

And eventually, the church that had once been persecuted by the sword, took up the sword to persecute others. Moving from persecuted to persecutor, the church had become the church militant and triumphant. The Kingdom of God that had been known through a king who rules with a towel, a donkey, and a cross became the Empire of Christendom. In the name of the one who taught us to love our enemies, the church burned its enemies alive. And we still live with the reputation of the Inquisition and the Crusades.

And that story of Christendom brings me back to Phyllis Tickle's words once more: "It's very dangerous for one's soul to be a part of a religion that's socially acceptable."

What do we want?

Are we mourning the fact that our socially acceptable religion seems to be slipping through our fingers? Are we trying to recover a pristine American era when things were "better."

I'm a part of the Restoration Movement. My family has been a part of this movement for many generations. We've sought to restore the church back to the way it was in the first century.

It's a noble project.

But while we've tried to restore many things from the first-century church, I've never heard anyone interested in recovering the social context of the first-century church.

We like our socially acceptable religion in America. Many of us pray that our kids and grandkids will be able to live out their faith without the threat of persecution or death.

But which is more dangerous for one's soul?

Following Jesus in a culture where Christianity is not socially acceptable?

Or.

Following Jesus in a culture where Christianity is socially acceptable?

And the answer to that question might very well define our goal for how following Jesus might just transform our culture in new, imaginative ways.

So, tell me. What's your your vision for how Christianity should impact our culture in the 21st century?

What You Lose When You Win the Culture War

What comes to mind when you think of the "Culture War."

Democrats vs. Republicans? 

Blue States vs. Red States?

Liberals vs. Conservatives?

Since the early 1990s the term has been a constant in political and religious discussions in America. 

From James Davison Hunter's 1991 book, "Culture Wars," to James Buchanan's 1992 Republican National Convention Speech, known as "The Culture War Speech," to Bill O'Reilly's 2006 book, "Culture Warrior," the language of "Culture War" has become a common designation for the clash of worldviews between conservatives and progressives.

For Christians who engage in the Culture War, the past few years have presented several key skirmishes that have upped the stakes. 

-The Dan Cathy Scandal (Chick-Fil-A)

-The Phil Robertson Scandal (Duck Dynasty)

-The War on Christmas (Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays)

In response to these incidents, Christians have become vocal on social media. Boycotts have been called for. Chick-Fil-A Appreciation day gave conservatives a day to vote in favor of Dan Cathy with their pocketbooks. Apparently, there is also a Chick-Phil-A Day scheduled later this month in support of Phil Robertson.

But before you (My intended audience are those whose first identity is Christian above any other identity) wear your camo into Chick-Fil-A on January 21st to engage in the next edition of the Culture War, it's important to consider the possible casualties of joining the war.

Just a consideration of the language of "war" has certain implications. Because wars have enemies. Wars demand winners and losers. Wars include collateral damage and casualties.

Before we try to win the war, perhaps we ought to consider if winning is worth losing as much as we are sure to lose.

Every war has two sides. And when you fight any war, there are people who inevitably become enemies in the course of the conflict. Make no mistake. When you declare war in a Culture War, you are declaring war on a group of people you are eventually trying to reach. 

In the recent flap over Phil Robertson, I saw many Christians post things on Facebook and Twitter that could do nothing but cause further damage to the relationship between Christians and the gay community. 

If winning the Culture War was the number one goal of Christianity, then we would be obliged to do whatever it takes to secure victory.

But as I read the Bible, winning a Culture War is way down the list from making disciples of Jesus Christ. In fact, I don't think it would have even made Jesus' top 10 list.

Jesus couldn't care less if the Roman Empire had religious symbols and Bible verses on their statues and monuments. He wasn't offended that "under God" wasn't in Rome's Pledge of Allegiance. He didn't fight to ensure "In God We Trust" was on every bit of coinage Rome manufactured.

He spent his life making disciples who would make disciples who would make disciples.

When we fight the Culture War, we are intentionally making enemies out of people with whom we should be building a relationship. 

And when we fight the Culture War, we completely misunderstand who our enemy is. Our enemy is not the gay community. Our enemy is not a particular political party. Our enemy is not Al Qaeda.

Paul says it well in Ephesians 6:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

If you have a human enemy, you have already misunderstood the true battle. Because every bit of evil in this world is animated by spiritual forces. 

Satan loves it when we make enemies out of people. 

And that's why I love the Civil Rights Movement so much. King and his followers refused to make enemies out of their oppressors. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that his white oppressors were not the enemy. 

One of the key principles of King's notion of nonviolence was to win the friendship and understanding of the opponent, not to humiliate him. Another key principle was that evil itself, not the people committing the acts, should be opposed.

King understood Paul's words in Ephesians 6. And though many of his opponents likely never desired a relationship with King, he had done nothing to close the door on future relationship with them. 

It's time to put down our weapons. It's time to take great care in what we post online. 

Because there's a whole lot more to lose than a Culture War.

My Unexpected Conversation With the Apostle Paul about Duck Dynasty

I was sitting in my office scrolling through my Facebook and Twitter feed and all of the public conversations about Duck Dynasty. It was all so upsetting. I was getting caught up in the frenzy as I started to think about how I would add more words to the pile.

When all of a sudden, the Apostle Paul was sitting in the chair across the room from me! When I saw him, I was frightened. I didn't see anyone enter my room.

We had a conversation I had to share with you.

________________________

Collin: How did you get here? Who are you anyway?

Paul: Some people call me Saul. Some people call me Paul. But you should have seen the look on your face when you turned around and saw me. I don't know who was more scared...me on the road to Damascus or you just a minute ago. Ha!

What are you doing?

C: Oh, just scrolling through my Facebook feed. Can you believe what all of these people are saying?

P: Excuse me...your what?

C: My Facebook feed. You don't know what a...oh that's right. You lived before the internet was around.

P: What's the internet?

C: Never mind. The last 48 hours there's been a lot of talk about Phil Robertson, Duck Dynasty, A&E, and homosexuality.

P: Duck Dynasty?

C: Wow. How do I explain?

Phil Robertson and his family have a show on TV...TV is a screen we have in our living rooms...our living rooms are rooms in our houses. I can't possibly describe all of this to you Paul. Just go with me.

Anyway...Phil has a show on TV called Duck Dynasty. And through the show, the Robertson family has received quite a following. Like a bigger following than Jesus had when he was on the earth. Jesus had his thousands and Duck Dynasty has its millions. And Phil was recently interviewed by a popular magazine and he said some things that created a huge media storm. People are going nuts.

Some people are upset about some things he said about homosexuality. Others are upset about some things he said about race.

But others are coming to Phil's defense. They believe Phil was just stating his beliefs, just quoting the Bible. They're upset that Christians in America are now treated differently than other groups when they make public statements about their beliefs. They feel persecuted and like America is losing ground as a Christian nation.

It's a mess! And with every word, the tension grows and the sides become more entrenched.

P: I see...haha! You learn to appreciate seeing after spending three days unable to see.

C: What?

P: Haven't you ever read Acts 9? You're a preacher, aren't you?

C: Oh, right. Funny.

P: I'm just messing with you, Collin. Calm down!

Some things have changed over the past 2,000 years. So, let me ask a few questions. Are you good with that?

C: Sure, fire away!

P: Did you say there are Christians who feel like America is losing ground as a Christian nation? What is a Christian nation?

C: Hmm, how do I explain this? You know how Rome was an empire, right?

P: Yes, that empire killed me, so I do know about what an empire is.

C: Well, today we have nations or countries rather than empires. And there are Christians who feel like America, the country we live, started as a Christian nation.

P: Huh! Imagine that? You mean the leaders of the country didn't try to kill Christians? That would have helped to prolong my life and the lives of the other disciples. Christian nation? That's such a strange thought.

And did you say Christians are feeling persecuted? How so?

C: Well, we have this thing in America called the Freedom of Speech. It's the First Amendment the United States made to the Constitution. And a lot of Christians are upset and feel like Phil Robertson's rights were infringed upon. Christians feel persecuted in America.

P: So, Phil Robertson was killed?

C: No.

P: He was put in prison? That happened to me a few times.

C: No.

P: Then what's this business about persecution?

C: He was put on indefinite leave from his TV show.

P: Hmmm....How much does this guy and his family get paid for his TV show?

C: $200,000 an episode in addition to the merchandise and duck calls they sell.

P: What's a duck call?

C: Paul, some things about 21st century life you just won't be able to understand.

P: So, let me get this straight. A guy shares his Christian beliefs and people get upset about it?

C: Yes.

P: But the guy doesn't get killed? He doesn't get put in prison? He just gets to continue selling these duck calls from his home in this place called America?

C: Right.

P: You Americans, don't seem to understand what persecution is. I didn't lose my job for preaching what I believed. Five different times I received 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. And eventually I was killed by the Roman Empire. I never whined to Herod or Caesar once about any of it.

And why? Because I knew preaching the gospel would bring that kind of response.

I haven't read exactly what Phil Robertson wrote, so I'm not ready to tell you if I agree with him or not, but I can tell you I'm not ready to defend Christians who use the persecution card in defense of a millionaire who gets to live his life without threat of beatings or death.

THAT'S NOT PERSECUTION!!!

Have you read the stories about what's going on with Christians in places like China? That's persecution. Their churches are being burned to the ground. Their church services are held in secret. They are being killed for their faith.

And guess what...Christianity is growing in China and the global South. Over the years, it seems that there might be a connection between persecution and kingdom growth.

But as long as American Christians try to fight a culture war about rights, Christianity will continue to decline.

Did you Christians forget who you were following? You're called to follow Jesus who gave up his rights rather than holding onto them (Phil. 2:5-11). But it sounds like what it means to be a Christian for some of you in America is to demand that your rights be upheld. That's the opposite of the gospel!

It doesn't sound like the problem is America and the secular media. It sounds like the problem lies with a bunch of weak Christians who misunderstand what the goal of the kingdom is all about.

C: Wow! Paul you seem worked up about this.

P: Haven't you read Galatians? I once told the Judaizers in Galatia that I wish that when they had circumcised themselves they would have kept on cutting (Galatians 5:12)!

C: That was an interesting image to select. Quite vivid!

I think you're right to push back on American "persecution." There's no way we could compete with your resume of persecution. But...how would you have us live and challenge a culture that chooses to live in such opposition to the morals of the Bible?

P: You preachers should read the Bible more often. Haven't you read what I wrote in my letter to the Corinthians?

Just pick up one of the 12 Bibles with your named engraved on them on your shelf and read it to me. I think the guy who ended up putting those annoying numbers in the middle of my perfectly good letter would tell you that you could find it in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.

C: It says,

"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you."

P: Do you see a word in there about challenging or condemning outsiders? No!

Why do you expect people who haven't chosen to become followers of Jesus to act like Jesus?

Wait! Hopefully you aren't passing laws to force non-Christians to act like Jesus? You don't do that in that Christian America, do you?

C: Well...

P: None of you would make it in the Roman Empire in the 1st century!

There's no need to judge people by the standards of Jesus who haven't chosen to follow Jesus. You're called to love them and establish relationships with them. And if they are compelled to follow Jesus, then as insiders we hold each other accountable to those standards.

C: It's right there in black and white.

P: One more thing. If you've got time with all of your sermon writing and stuff.

C: Sure, go ahead.

P: I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Christian nation thing. The disciples in heaven will want to know every detail about that.

The Roman Empire enlarged its territory through warfare. Most empires come into existence that way. If America is a Christian nation, surely the original inhabitants didn't kill people like Rome did to acquire land, did they? Otherwise, how could you call it a Christian nation?

C: Are you sure you want to know the answer?

P: Yes.

C: We took the land from the original inhabitants. We drove them off of their land and killed many of them in the process.

P: How in the world would Christians be able to defend that with the Bible?

C: We used Scripture to defend it all. The settlers likened themselves to the new Israel leaving Egypt and wiping out the Canaanites on their way to the Promised Land. Preachers actually defended it with Scripture.

P: That's a terrible way to read the Exodus story.

C: Yeah, and speaking of poor readings of Scripture, you'll never believe what we did to your letters. Preachers defended enslaving people because of what you wrote in several places. America has had a terrible history of slavery and racism.

P: You're kidding me! You're telling me this Christian nation killed indians and oppressed and enslaved people because of the color of their skin?

C: I wish I was kidding. Not exactly Christian of us, was it?

P: Your preachers could sure use some help in biblical interpretation!

Speaking of, do you want in any help interpreting your passage for Sunday?

C: Sure, I'm preaching from Hebrews.

P: I'm not touching that sermon. Even I don't know who wrote that book!

C: Well, thanks for your time.

__________________

And like that, he was gone.

Conversations like that give you perspective.

Perhaps you've heard of first-world problems. A first-world problem is a frustration or complaint that is only experienced by privileged individuals in wealthy countries.

Examples:
-I took such a long shower this morning that the hot water ran out.
-Since that last iOS update, my iPhone is running much slower.

Some people will never experience first-world problems. They'll never have a chance to.

In the same way, American Christians have first-world Christian problems. A first-world Christian problem is a frustration or complaint only experienced by privileged Christians in countries who uphold the freedom of religion.

I'm guessing there are many third-world Christians who would love to have their greatest worry be preaching their beliefs at the risk of their jobs rather than their lives.

All it would take is a week-long trip to a country that has outlawed Christianity to change what we write on our tweets and Facebook updates.

We need stronger Christians.

Not stronger Christians who are ready at the firing of a millionaire celebrity Christian to take up arms in a culture war.

We need stronger Christians who stop living as victims.

We need stronger Christians who refuse to settle for loving the sinner and hating the sin. But who choose to love the sinner and hate and confess our own sin.

We need stronger Christians who in the words of my new friend Paul:

"...have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross."

Kindergarten Tour & School Shooting

The day started with a visit to Peabody Elementary School.

Our oldest child, Maddox, is 4-years old. He was excited about our tour of the kindergarten he will attend in a short 9 months.

As we entered the school, Maddox strode forward with a bounce in his step ready to enter "the real world." Holly and I felt a bit different. We always knew this day would come, but it's so hard to believe the day had actually arrived.

The words I've heard from Rick Atchley rang through my head as we entered the doors, "The days drag on, but the years fly by."

We had a great tour of the school. The principal showed us around and answered all of our questions. She was specifically sure to allay our fears as best she could about the security of the school. She assured us about the security cameras, locked exterior doors, and had lockdown drills in the event of an emergency. It has been said that sending your kid to school is like your heart walking around outside of your body. It was obvious that the principal understood that feeling.

After we got back in the car, Holly mentioned how awful it is to live in a world where students have to prepare for lock-down drills.

Less than three hours later and fewer than two miles away, Littleton Public Schools (including Peabody Elementary) went into lockdown mode after reports of gunshots being fired at Arapahoe High School.

Early reports indicate that a student was shot and the shooter died of a self-induced gunshot wound.

This one hits home. Arapahoe High School is the closest high school to the church where I preach, the Littleton Church of Christ. We have several youth group students who attend the school. Thankfully all are safe and accounted for.

In a first-world country like the United States, we have a certain expectancy about seeing our kids again when we drop them off at school. We take our morning "good-byes" for granted as our kids leave for school. And that makes events like these so difficult to process as parents of schoolchildren.

Events like these shatter our assumptions and cheapen our cliches, which is its own kind of gift. With this gift, comes tighter hugs, more "I love you's," and greater thanks to God for the miracles each day that we fail to acknowledge.

We're months away from sending Maddox to school, but I'll never forget this day.

It was the day when school seemed more imminent and unsafe.

"The days drag on, but the years fly by."

Lord, have mercy!

Pronouns, Tribes & the Kingdom

Pronouns are important.

Pronouns tell us a lot.

But we'll come back to grammar lessons later.

I grew up in a generation whose parents were careful to build a strong self-esteem in us. We received trophies for participating on sports teams. Most of my friends received money for the number of A's we received on their reports cards. I got tokens at Chuck E. Cheese, which was more valuable than anything else I could imagine at the time.

The returns on that kind of parenting are coming in and it's not all positive.

And yet...a healthy self-esteem is a part of healthy self-development. When children are born, they have an ego-centric level of awareness. The world revolves around them. That's why when playing hide-and-seek with my 4-year old son and 2-year old daughter, they think they can hide in broad daylight. They assume that as long as they can't see me, I can't see them.

Early on, children are able to begin sentences with the word "I."

This stage of ego development is crucial to human development. And that is why parents nurture love, care, compassion, discipline, and morality in their kids. You want them to have a healthy, formed ego...

But...

If your children remain egocentric, something destructive begins to happen. And if they never evolve out of that stage of development, they will be come sociopaths who will eventually become harmful to society. 

So, you have them do chores as a way of "inviting" them into the tribe. And over time, mowing the lawn and cleaning the toilet helps them move from an egocentric view of the world to an ethnocentric view of the world. Our tribe (family, school, athletic team, nation, etc.) has a certain way of doing things. In doing this, you are helping introduce them to how the tribe functions. Most tribal cultures have initiations for young men (sometimes women) to mark this transition.

And at that point, young adults can begin sentences with "We."

Beware: You can rush this. If you yell at a 4-year old because they didn’t mow the lawn correctly, you might be rushing it.

But if you stop at an ethnocentric or tribal view of the world, we could have trouble. Because what happens when the tribe goes down the wrong path? You want to instill in your child the courage that when the tribe veers off course (jumping off a proverbial bridge, engaging in certain fraternity initiation rituals, Nazi Germany in 1938), they can do what's right for humanity rather than just following the path of least resistance. 

There are certain times in a tribe when you don't want your child to be ethnocentric or tribal. You want them to question the rules and rituals of the tribe. You don't want them to drink the Kool-Aid.

If there is any hope for our world in a nuclear age, we need the majority of people to move to a world-centric stage of development. Because sometimes, what appears to be the ethnocentric party line is actually bad for other tribes.

Hopefully, we develop into the kind of people who think about what's best for all of humanity and begin our sentences with "All of us."

In Genesis 12, God calls Abram forward in his consciousness. He's called to leave his tribe and start another tribe. But he's not some bandwagon fan. It's not that the new tribe is cooler, stronger, or better-looking than the last tribe. God is calling forth a new tribe who is called to reflect what God is like.

And though some religious tribes make God sound like a tribal God (sectarian, nationalistic, racist, etc.), he isn't tribal. He is well past an ethnocentric consciousness. He's a world-centric God.

He's for us.
All of us.
Every one of us.
He shows no favoritism.

Or as Paul says, "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:27-28)

Which reflects exactly what God told Abram about this new tribe in Genesis 12: "...all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Which brings me back to grammar.

In baptism, our allegiances change. Our tribal identities are no longer primary. When we come up out of the waters of baptism, our pronouns even change.

I have many tribal identities. I'm a Native Texan...a Colorad(o)an...an American...a Caucasian...a Wildcat...a Longhorn...a Preacher...a Littleton Church of Christer. All of these tribal identities explain who I am.

But...

None of these descriptors identify me best. After coming up out of the waters of baptism, the allegiance that trumps all other tribal allegiances is my commitment to Christ.

So, I struggle with my pronouns.

God's kingdom isn't just about me. It's not just about us. It's about all of us!

Lessons at the Playground

Friday is my day off and the day our family practices Sabbath.

There are lots of legalistic arguments about whether Sabbath is something Christians must do. Those arguments aren't important to me and they miss the point much of the time.

We don't practice Sabbath because we believe we have to. We practice Sabbath because we have found there's a rhythm in the world that contributes to human flourishing. That pattern is 6 and 1...6 and 1...6 and 1. Sabbath reminds us that the world goes on fine without our effort. Sabbath reminds us that God does just fine without our addictive patterns of worry and work. Sabbath calls out the insanity of our other 6 days.

Today, we went to a park. We kicked the soccer ball, threw the football, and played on a playground. It was a blast!

But the coolest part happened while we were at the playground. Maddox is our more reluctant child. He prefers to stay safe and our insurance company appreciates that trait in him. Addison will jump off anything and laugh when she hits the ground.

After a couple of times up the stairs and down the slide, Maddox saw a different way to climb up to the slide. He saw a climbing apparatus. As he stared at it, I could see the wheels turning in his mind.

Should I try it? Could I climb it? Is it safer to just go up the more traditional route?

And as he stared at it I asked him, "Do you want to try it?" And sheepishly he said, "I think so."

So, we moved toward the red ladder and Maddox methodically worked his way up the ladder, careful to ensure his feet didn't slip. I stood and watched as a proud father knowing that this moment would set his self-confidence forward or backward depending on the outcome of this one act.

As he neared the top, his legs began to shake and he looked back to see if I was there to catch him. I rooted him on saying, "Maddox, you can do it." Slowly he climbed up to the top bar, but he had to make a giant step of faith in order to make it across to the playground's terra firma.

I moved to get a closer look and I was there to catch him if something went wrong, but he had to do this one on his own. Would he make the step?

Eventually, with his legs shaking the entire structure, he stepped over the abyss and onto the platform.  And he yelled "Yes!" with a joy I've only heard him make audible on a few occasions. He did it!

And I was beaming from ear to ear.

There are moments as a dad when your relationship with God makes more sense. This was one of those moments. I could have helped Maddox across. I would have caught him if he had taken one poor step. He was never in danger. But I knew that his confidence would only grow if he took that step.

And it made me realize why God seems so absent sometimes. When Maddox was on the top bar, I'm sure he wouldn't have minded me helping him across. When I'm in a pinch, I'm hopeful God will answer my prayer and fix everything in an instant. But I believe there are times when God doesn't make things easy on us because he knows we need to learn to do some things on our own.

And when we take that step, I'm certain that God smiles from ear to ear as well.