Is it Time for the "Great Commission" to Go Away?

Is it time for the Great Commission, that is, the command that Jesus gives to his followers to "go into all the world and make disciples of all people" to go away? Or, at least take a break for awhile? Or maybe be less of a focus for American Christians?

There are many biblical principles that might have risen to prominence in American Christianity. For example: taking care of widows and orphans, the Beatitudes, vows of poverty, foot washing, or handling poisonous snakes. But for whatever reason, the Great Commission has risen above all of these to underpin many of our collective understanding of the goal of Christian life: converting the heathens.

However, in our current political context this offers some pitfalls. I mean this not as Republican or Democrat, but as members of the most influential, powerful, and wealth nation that has ever existed throughout all time. The Great Commission, accompanied by an American passport, will be inherently heavy-handed, forceful. Like it or not, we are a cowboy people. We like to ride in, quickly solve problems and ride off into the sunset. But this is not how disciples are made, at least not disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Great Commission was spoken to people who, socially speaking, had very little influence. America is the opposite. We have tons of influence. Which is why I am proposing that for the next couple of years, we let go of the Great Commission as a core principle of our faith and pick another one to focus on. I don't care which one, though handling poisionous snakes might be fun. Maybe another country can take up the call to conversion. Brazil might be a good choice. Or Kenya. Let's let them take the lead in the Great Commission and we can stick to what we are better fitted for, help the poor with our vast financial resources. Then, after a couple of years we can re-assess see how things are going.

S&E's First Taste of "Food"

Sebastien Discovers his Voice

This past weekend, Sebastien discovered that he did not only have to cry, but could "talk" as well. He does so to what we call, "register complaint" most of the time, but he also does it when he's happy.

If it's On TV it Can't Be Good

I've been thinking a lot about advertising lately.

Reading Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle has gotten me thinking specifically about the food products that are advertised on television and generally about the type of things that need advertising to be bought by the general public. The question that I have been asking myself is, "How would my life be different if I only bought things not advertised on television?"

Watch your TV for awhile with an eye for what food products require advertising. You'll probably see ads for things like Pringles, Wheat Thins, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Keebler Cookies, Smucker's Jelly, Bertolli packaged pastas, Oreo Cookies, and other pre-packaged food-like things. And while there are plenty of advertisements for "natural" foods like cheese, beef, milk, and eggs, these too should at least give us pause and make us ask, "Why are these things being advertised? Who is paying the big-money for these ads to run? Is it really in my best interest to eat according to the diet prescribed for me by 30-second commercials?"

Just some food for thought. And if you don't believe that advertising has a lot of thought, money, and influence in it, check out this website that chronicles cigarette advertising. Then think about what current ads might one day seem as obviously ludacris as these do.

Post Election Sentiment

There has been a lot of negativity in 2008 campaign. Christians on both sides of any issue or candidate seem to lose their minds, their sense of Christian community, even a common decency like the ability to listen with empathy to another human being. Here is a short quote from Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, a federation of global communities for people with mental and physical disabilities. I think it speaks to whatever you define as your community: home, church, state or nation. Feel free to pass it around

We can give people the gift of their dignity. We can help others just by the way we listen to them and speak with them. We can show them by our own trust that what they have to say is important and good. Community is caring for people, but of course as soon as we start caring for people, we know that there are some people who will just drive us up the wall. Some we will really like, because they think like us. Then we risk falling into a world of mutual flattery. We are all so much in need of affection that when somebody give it to us we want to hold onto it. Then we say to the other person, “You’re wonderful! Keep at it! Keep flattering me! You know, it’s nice.’” We’re like little cats who need to be caressed. We then being to purr.

But flattery doesn’t help anyone to grow. It doesn’t bring freedom but rather closes people up in themselves. We are attracted to certain people, and other put us off. We don’t get on well with them. They trigger off our anguish. Perhaps they remind us of our father and mothers who were too authoritarian or possessive. Some people threaten us, others flatter us. Some meetings are joyful, and others are painful. When we begin talking about caring for people, when we begin to see how difficult it can be. In community we are called to care for each member of the community. We can choose our friends but we do not choose our brothers and sisters; they are given to us whether in family or in community.

A Few Comments on the Issue of Abortion

I have been an unabashed political junkie this election season. I have watched all three presidential debates as well as the vice-presidential debate. I follow the polls. I have spoken openly to others about whom I support.

One moment of the campaign has given me a lot to think about. It happened prior to any official debate. It occurred during the largely overlooked conversations with Pastor Rick Warren. He asked one candidate a series of questions while the other was off stage in a sound proof room. Then they switched places and answered the same questions. I didn’t catch them live, but since they were available in several places on the Internet, I watched them there.

One question Pastor Warren asked was, “At what point does a baby receive human rights?” Obama answered first. His answer was guarded, tempered, and nuanced. He talked about how and why he voted on certain legislation. He talked about the issue of abortion in terms of its affects on women, children, and society.

When John McCain was asked the same questions his answer was short and sweet. “At the moment of conception.” This brought cheers from the audience.

***

When I tell people that I am going to be voting for Barak Obama, many people tell me that there are lots of things they appreciate about him, “…his candor, his integrity, his ability to raise our country in the world’s veiw…” here they pause and I can see what’s coming next, “But he’s pro-choice and the issue of abortion is important to me. I don’t know if I could vote for a pro-choice candidate.”

I do not have a concise answer in these moments. Part of the reason for this is, that on his particular issue, for me there is no concise answer. This has led me to write this: a treatise that addresses the issue of abortion generally and explains why I am still voting for Senator Obama, even though he is pro-choice.

1. There is a difference between how we feel about abortion and what we do about abortion.

If we honestly and totally believed that abortion was the murder of innocent babies, we would join the ranks of those picketing or bombing abortion clinics. Or at least we would be writing letters to our representatives. Instead I believe most people who feel comfortable with the pro-life label simply talk among themselves about the issue.

I am against abortion. I wish it were not part of the world. As someone who has gone through invitro-fertilization I have seen pictures of the four cells, clustered together that would, only months later be welcomed as my twins. I have prayed over these images. I have stayed awake at night wondering how anyone could ever not be blown away by the amazing force of life seen up close. Abortion is a result of sin. It is not as God intended the world to be.


But my strong feelings about the wrongness of abortion does not dictate my action. Children let their emotions rule their decision. Adults think, reason, and make the best judgment based on the information and the specifics of a situation. A hard-line stance on the issue of abortion is not honorable, it is myopic, unsympathetic, and simplistic.


2. If all you do is vote for the candidate who says they oppose abortion, then you do not get to have an opinion (at least not one you get to share with me.)

If you want to have your say on the issue of abortion, you must be actively working toward making the issue a non-issue.

You get an opinion if you give money to an organization like Bethany Christian Services. They work to place children in adoptive homes. They also work with children in Foster care.

You get am more weighty opinion if you have adopted children or have volunteered to be foster parents. While these roles do not directly affect a specific abortion, they care for those whom others do not care for. And if you’re willing to make the sacrifices required to adopt or serve as foster parents, then I am willing to listen to what you have to say on the issue of abortion.

This leads me to my final point.

3. The issue of abortion is solvable by Christians.

What if the world knew that it could walk up to any Christian and say, “I am thinking of aborting my baby, would you be willing to take it?” And know that the answer would be “yes.”

What if we applied market principles to the issue of abortion? What if the demand for children by Christian far exceeded the number of abortions? What if this is what Christian were known for, not for hating gay people, or supporting our troops, but for wanting to care for those people whom no one else wants to care for? I’m sure that abortions would still happen, but I imagine that they would be reduced by 70-80%

But, you say, “I do not have the resources to support another child. If I had another child it may take away from the attention and care that I can provide to the children I all ready have! I may not be able to send my kids to private school, or take a summer vacation, or save for retirement.” Or for those of you suffering a bit more from the economic collapse might be thinking, “I won’t be able to afford food, or clothes, or rent.”

Beside these being the very questions that people choosing to abort ask themselves, remember I am not suggesting that Christian must adopt (at least not here). All I am suggesting is that talking about abortion is one thing and living a life that works for eliminate the felt need for abortions is another. It is easy to simply vote for whomever Right-to-Life tells you to. It is hard to be looking forward to early retirement and think about using your 401(k) to buy diapers.

In conclusion, I am against abortion. But I am against the delusion that some people take comfort in when they cast their vote for the Right-to-Life candidate. I encourage you to vote for whomever you wish, but if you feel passionate about the issue of abortion, do not convince yourself you have done enough. You have actually done as little as you can. You have only just begun.

If you are interested in adoption please contact Bethany Christian Services at www.bethany.org.

Making An Informed Choice

In an effort to make myself an informed voter I am researching what will be on the ballot next Tuesday. However, in an effort to help others be informed, I am sharing some helpful links with you. Some will only apply to Michigan voters, such as ballot proposals, and Congressional seats, but some address the Presidential Campaigns.

The 2008 Official Michigan Candidate Listing

Proposals on the Michigan Ballot regarding Medical Marijuana and Stem Cell Research

Barak Obama's official website

John McCain's official website

(you have find listings for these and other candidates here.)

Ottawa County Ballot Proposals (includes state proposals plus others)

Barak Obama's speech on race and the remarks of Rev. Jeremiah Wright

McCain and Obama interviewed by Rick Warren


There is much more information out there and ff there are other things that you have found helpful in making your decision, things that are not inflammatory or sensational, I welcome you to post them in the comment section.

Happy voting!