Talking is a common thread in my life. Being the passionate person that I am, my thoughts and opinions have a tendency to carry emotion and purpose that may not be necessary. This is true, I am sure, for all of us, but proving the superiority of a collegiate sports rivalry or a coffee brand over another are not, exactly, in the world we live in.

Sure, many of my opinions come from my beliefs and the way that I read the Scriptures that found them.* Reading Matthew 25, for example, I find it hard to believe that someone would care more about "personal freedoms" and political "liberty" over, say, taking care of our neighbors. I'm strongly opposed to dispensationalism because I don't believe it is Scriptural (read, "it is heresy") and I think the whole Hagee/Lahaye reading of Revelation is bunk. Again, this has merit, specificaly because your way of reading Revelation directly affects your views of the future both personally and corporately.

Unfortunately, I have let many of the arguments and debates become the emotionally and time consuming factors in my life. Instead of acting on what I believe, I have been talking an awful lot about what to do, who to vote for, and all the other American distractions we have created for ourselves. Intentionally or not, some friends have managed to point out my significant failings here, and I would like to spend the next few moments making commitments and moving forward.

Commitment #1: Silence is not a bad thing.

Monastics have often reflected on the need for silence and how that gives us an aloneness with God that we often lack in our busy world. To take this one step further, I think that there are times that I have missed hearing God's voice, or God's nudge to "go and do," because I was talking to loudly myself. I have no doubt that there is a time for speaking, a time for debating (see "St. Paul" in the Encyclopaedia Britannica**) and a time for teaching, but that time is not always now. Perhaps we all have gotten so lost in the noise of cable news, talk radio, and the people we work with that we cannot hear God ourselves. He lays out some very clear expectations for our lives (see "Bible, the" and more specifically "the Gospels") yet I have fallen content with talking about them, rather than living them. I'm going to try to spend more time in silence***, listening for the still small voice.

Commitment #2: Less Clutter.

Physical clutter can be a huge distraction for any of us, especially for me. My ability to get distracted by just about anything**** can make a twenty minute task take all day. As a result, my life is less productive and I spend more time reorganizing over and over again rather than pushing forward on the projects and tasks I want to accomplish.

In addition, I am involved in many things, some of which are good ideas but lack the value that I hoped to see in them when I first pursued them. In other cases, they bore fruit for a season but that season is clearly over, and I am working to extract myself from what has become mundane and laborious work, not service.

Commitment #3: Fewer Places of Contention.

As I came to these realizations recently (thanks, again, to several friends who spoke with me about these things), it has become apparent how deeply we all struggle with this. Within the body of Christ, we have deep disagreements about many things, and a healthy discussion and respect for one another is key to our human experience. But at other times, the hostility and unwillingness to bear one anothers burdens is unbelievable and, frankly, sinful. I recognize that I have put myself into these situations and stirred up the bee's nest many times, and this is a wrong thing to do. As a result, I will be backing away from certain forums, outlets, and if need be, people, to create healthy boundaries. 

We are all made in the image of God. The Mother Theresas. St. Francis and St. Benedict. The pregnant single teen. The dirty homeless guy, the drug addict, and the guy that always smells like booze. You. Me. Let's respect each other, respect ourselves, and listen for that still small voice that speaks to us in the Scriptures, through the church fathers, and in our times of prayer and solitude.

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*Lest my beliefs sound "personal" it should be noted that I read, and continue to read, many theologians and saints on the Scriptures. So the way I read the Scriptures is informed by two millenia of work and thought on the subject, not just me in 2010.

**Does anyone even use the Encyclopaedia anymore? What about World Book?

***And as much as it pains me, this silence will be music free. Ugh.

****You think "oh look, something shiny" is a joke, right? Woe is me, it isn't.

(eventually a picture of Kirstie Alley with her mouth hanging open will grace these posts, but I am having a problem with the technical side of things at the moment and have not worked out the kinks quite yet)

Looking Backward, Moving Forward:

I know you all come here for breaking news, so I announce this here first: 2009 is officially over.

I personally announced this moment in my own life by closing out my existing journal (one that lasted for several years of hit or miss writing) and opening a new one. I found myself quickly listing off many dreams for 2010, ones that deviate from the traditional "Make, then Break" resolutions that most of us fret over for a few weeks each year. These are dreams which are big and small, easy to achieve and extremely far out of reach, but Sharon has taught me that even the biggest dreams are worth pursuing.

A few choice snippets from the list (those that I am willing to share in this forum):

• Simplify in every sense of the term
• Buy Local
• Pull someone back from the edge
• Have a story to share every day
• Live Hope, Give Hope, Every day, Any way.

Books of the Completed and Started Varieties:

I closed 2009 by shelving anything that I sat semi-finished, a physical way to close out the old year. My target this year is to read 52 books (a book a week) and I did not want any lingering struggles in the way.

Barbara Rossing's The Rapture Exposed was first up this year. Thanks to a thoughtful gift from Patrick and Margaret, I was able to read Rossing's critique of prevailing dispensationalist readings (or misreadings?) of Revelation and the ethic of John that pervades it. It was a great read, one made a little bit more unique by the fact that Margaret was able to get the author to personalize it with a note for me. How cool!

Now up is Annie Dillard's The Maytrees, a recent Swaptree acquisition and a long-time resident of the to-read shelf. Dillard has been a big literary influence on my own writing and I also had the opportunity to take a seminar class on her works at Hillsdale: having new material from her is always a joy for me.

Those of the Tune-age Variety:

I picked up Lady Gaga on vinyl this week. Both albums. Enough said.

Rattling of the Proverbial Cage:

The man who asked for the hot dog at Starbucks the other night, then f-bombed me when I told him we didn't carry hot dogs. Next time?

Geocentric Reflections:

One week to get back into the routine, then we'll pick up with some Corktown opportunities the following week. Bible Study & Coffee Night, anyone?

For the second time this week (and first this year, of course), we had the blessing of celebrating at a dear friends' wedding. Earlier this week we celebrated with my childhood friend on our third anniversary; this first day of 2010 we rejoiced at the marriage of Marty and Sarah.

When they first announced their marriage intentions, Marty and Sarah saw a marriage blessing on the wall at our house, a blessing that was said over us at our wedding in 2006. It is one that the pastor uses often, and Sarah loved it and asked if we would share it at their wedding. Some internet searching discovered the origins as Dr. Louis H. Evans, a Presbyterian minister who wrote the words for his sons wedding in 1950. Enjoy these beautiful words:

O God of love, Thou hast established marriage for the welfare and happiness of mankind. Thine was the plan, and only with Thee can we work it out with joy. Thou hast said, "It is not good for man to be' alone.' I will make a help meet for him." Now our joys are doubled since the happiness of one is the happiness of the other. Our burdens now are halved, for when we share them, we divide the load.

Bless this man. Bless him as provider of nourishment and raiment, and sustain him in all the exactions and pressures of his battle for bread. May his strength be her protection, his character be her boast and her pride, and may he so live that she will find in him the' haven for which the' heart of a woman truly longs.

Bless this woman. Give her kindness that will make' her great. Give' her a deep sense of understanding and a great faith in Thee. Give her that inner beauty of soul that never fades that is found in holding fast the things that never age.

Teach them that marriage is not living merely for each other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve Thee. Give them a great spiritual purpose' in life. May they seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the other things shall be added unto them.

May they not expect that perfection of each other that belongs alone' to Thee. May they help each other in their weaknesses, be swift to praise each other's points of comeliness and strength, and see each other through a lover's kind and patient eyes.

Now, Gracious Lord, bless them and develop their characters as they walk together, Give them enough tears to keep them tender, enough hurts to keep them humane, enough failure  to keep their hands clenched tightly in Thine, and enough success to make them sure they walk with Thee.

May they never take each other's love for granted, but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims, "Out of all this world you have chosen me'!" When life' is done and the sun is setting, may they be found then, as now, hand in hand, still thanking God for each other. May they serve Thee happily, faithfully, together, until at last, one shall lay the other into the arms of God.

This we ask through Jesus Christ, great lover of our souls. Amen.

For most of us, this time of year is one of celebration with family and friends. We rejoice in the great year we had or that the pains of the past twelve months are laid to rest with the changing of the calendar. Anticipation, and perhaps fear, fill our hearts and minds as we make plans and goals.

Lost in the "Auld Lang Synes" and botoxed Dick Clarks are those on the margins, the homeless, the suffering and the orphans. Thousands sit at home alone, mourning the emptiness of being without a dear one for the first time this holiday season. Depression and anxiety reign supreme in many lives, and times of gatherings, of parties and reflections shine light on our loss and suffering more than any other time.

As we all change our desk calendars at work on Monday, let us not forget to walk with hope and joy at new beginnings. May we surround those around us with Love and Peace, as we do not know how deeply someone might suffer in silence. We have the opportunity to change the direction of one life, but we will not if we never take the risk of being involved.

Let us be Hope, for hope gets us through the darkest of days. Let us be Peace, for peace is the necessary contrast to the roars of anger bitterness. And let us be Love, for love is the movement, and truly, Love Wins.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal published an article covering new evangelical churches in the city of Detroit. "In Detroit, Some See Grounds for Church Planting" at first served to encourage me as much for its potential as its actual reach. In the end, however, I was discouraged by its lack of focus and how easily it reverted to the the national stereotypes of Detroit.

For starters, the article takes the subtitle "New Evangelical Congregations Take Root in Depressed Areas, but City's Deep Burdens Sometimes Hinder Mission" and reflects that in two churches. Obviously brevity and focus must come into play, and some level of editing is out of the hands of the journalist, but I wonder how restricted the results will be when such a limited perspective is pursued. It was disappointing that the article was limited to evangelical congregations, when a lot of good work is being done in other parts of the Christian tradition as well.  

But they are never far from the realities of Detroit. Mr. Russ once had his car stolen, only to recover it himself in a confrontation with thieves. Another Mack Ave. pastor, Leon Stevenson, and his wife were robbed at gunpoint in front of their home last fall. (emphasis mine)

I would love to ask the journalist what he means by this. Is he suggesting that auto theft, confrontations with thieves, and being robbed at gunpoint are the "realities" of Detroit? That seems like a stretch. Sure, some of us have had vehicles stolen, but how many of us have been robbed at gunpoint? For that matter, how many other church people in other cities have been robbed at gunpoint and thus reflect the realities of their own cities? That seems like a cheap generalization that could very easily be experienced by a minimal percentage of church workers in Detroit. Who knows? It seems the journalist does not.

Mack Ave.'s founders say they sense a lingering skepticism toward outsiders -- particularly whites -- who settle in the city. Indeed, a few of the founding members of the church ultimately left, deeming the divide too wide.

There are two problems with this perspective. For starters, a limited sample size will suggest that the large majority of young churches in greater Detroit are being started by neighborhood newcomers, which doesn't seem to be true in my experience. But again, because so few church people were included in this article, it is portrayed as the normative experience. Secondly, fear-of-newcomers is a problem that is not exclusive to Detroit, or Michigan, or urban settings. This sense of "lingering skepticism" is often part of any established community, and while it is not my place to critique the persons interviewed for the story, I do take issue with the summation of the article.

Mr. Stec, who is white, had racial epithets directed at him on the street, and says he ultimately felt unwelcome and unsafe. After deciding he didn't feel comfortable relocating his wife here, he took a job at a church outside Des Moines, Iowa, instead. "I wouldn't necessarily discourage anyone" from going to Detroit," says Mr. Stec. "But I would certainly preface it with the realization that it's going to be difficult."

Moving is difficult. Starting something new is difficult. Again, we're left with this contention that this is somehow "different" or "worse" in Detroit, something that will provoke the reader to perpetuate the stereotypes and perceptions of the city in their general conscience.

Final Thoughts

This is intended to be a constructive critique of the article and not a derision of the work of this journalist and publication. If they are considering a piece about Detroit in the future, I would hope they would consider the following suggestions:

• Keep It in Context.
  • If something is not exclusive to Detroit, please don't portray it as such. Our city and region face plenty of difficulties, and we do not need help damaging our image globally with falsely unique problems.
• Let History Be History.
  • Yes, Detroit has a checkered history when it comes to economy, religion and race. Some of that is not exclusive to Detroit (see "Keep it in Context" above), and while negative history can loom larger than an elephant, there is a certain point where history must become exactly that. Yes, some people are racist, but I have experienced very little of it living in the city of Detroit this year. Yes, we had riots in 1967, but that was two generations ago, and the constant reference to it in contemporary journalism makes me wonder why so many continue to push that as the "Detroit identity."
• Get the Bigger Picture
  • Of those that I have met, a large majority of church workers in Detroit work bi-vocationally and are not blessed/burdened with the reliance on outside-of-the-city support. Mack Ave. is the first church I have encountered in Detroit that is planting with such a large and costly staff. The challenges reflected by Mack Ave. do not necessarily reflect the challenges facing each new church work in Detroit, and I would contend that they are creating a whole new set of challenges because of the staff choices they have made. The idea that Mack Ave. is typical to the Detroit context is problematic at best.
• Don't Assume The Ending of the Story
  • Each time I read an article about Detroit, it always seems that the summation is prewritten. "Everything is tough, nothing has changed in 40 years, and there is probably no hope for this place." The closing paragraph leaves the reader with a negative perspective based on one ex-Detroiter's lasting thought, one which again contradicts my "Keep it in Context" principle above.

Highlight of the week:

Celebrating December 27 at Andy and Emilie's wedding. Andy and I grew up together and it is a real honor to share that day with them every year (although we win by 3 years!). It was a beautiful service and an awesome reception at the Iroquois Club in Bloomfield Hills.

Books of the Completed and Started Varieties:

I finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies this weekend and am still reveling in the joy that was reading it. It is extra cheap on Amazon right now (less than $9!) so you should go pick it up and read it immediately.

Also finished this week is Peter Leithart's Solomon Among the Postmoderns, an interesting look at postmodern thought and intellectualism in contrast with Solomon. Because of the familial relations I will refrain from a review, but I would encourage you to read it and post your thoughts (and thanks to Mike for loaning me his copy to read).

Thanks to plenty of gift cards, I have purchased a few volumes of the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible, the finally edited and published Yoder work, Leitharts's Deep Exegesis, and a book discussing racial influences on theology. Lots of good winter reading ahead.

Music I’m digging:

Nothing much new on this front, other than listening to the latest offerings from 30 Seconds to Mars and After Midnight Project thanks to the recent concert experience.

Ministry Update:

The Christmas gift/grocery delivery went off without a hitch. We were able to bless many people who in turn bless their friends and neighbors, and it was a very rewarding experience.

Looking Forward To:

2010. New challenges, new wins, new opportunities to reflect Christ's love and sacrifice.

Highlight of the week:

Enjoying the Night 89x Stole Christmas 12 concert with my little brother. David and I walked upwards of four miles that day, and had I been thinking, I would have snapped a few photos of us trudging back to my house in the snow. The bands were great with one exception (I'm looking at you, Veer Union) and the atmosphere at the Fillmore was incredible. I had an opportunity to meet the morning show of 89x and snapped a picture of two of them. I think we have a potential future here...

Dave, Dean and Chuck. The future of Detroit morning radio?

Books of the Completed and Started Varieties:

I finally had an opportunity to dig through the boxes of books left to me by one Sharon, who has vacated our home state for ye old New York. In them I discovered T.S. Eliot's Christianity and Culture, which has made its way onto the night stand for light reading. I also picked up (via Swaptree) Jane Austen's early 2009 bestseller, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It combines something I enjoy, zombies, with something I strongly dislike, Jane Austen (sorry, Dr. Cuneo, it is the truth), and it makes an incredibly interesting and enjoyable read.

Music I’m digging:

In light of the concert, I have been listening to the latest offerings from Flyleaf and 30 Seconds to Mars. The Flyleaf album makes me happy while the 30 Seconds to Mars album, This is War, continues to explode my musical mind. The quality and intensity of this album makes me forget that it took over four years for them to release it.

Something That Blew My Mind:

The number of Starbucks customers who have expressed sadness at my upcoming transfer has been surprising and at times overwhelming. I just hope that I have impacted their lives beyond "that was the best latte I have had in weeks" and that somehow, in some way, Christ's love reflected through me.

Ministry Update:

We're wrapping up the collection of gifts, groceries (and of course online donations!) today for some neighbors in need. If you'd like to chip in some money to help us purchase gift cards to local grocery stores, etc. please visit our NWC ChipIn page.

Looking Forward To:

All that this week has in store. My parents and siblings will be traveling from near and far to celebrate Christmas day at our house this year. Giles and I are excited to host everyone and are hopeful that the weather cooperates for travel and safety.

On Monday I mentioned the conversations with customers regarding TWLOHA. It is encouraging to be able to share the vision of TWLOHA with those who have never heard of it and to reflect on the lives that TWLOHA has changed.

Unfortunately, the movement of hope and life is not complete. Lives are still affected every day by suicide and self injury. Earlier this week, a teenager and recent high school graduate died, leaving an entire community in metro Detroit reeling.

I see the effect this story has on those in my life. The sadness and tragedy, the questions and hurt. It is stories like these that make me even more passionate about TWLOHA and the many opportunities we have to make a difference.

I'd like to encourage you all to get involved, locally or on a large scale. Recently TWLOHA announced that they are working with the Kristin Brooks Hope Center to roll out IMAlive, a peer-to-peer online crisis network. They hope to have this fully launched in 2010, and I submitted my name for consideration to be crisis line worker. This would mean a significant commitment to training, a lot of time, and emotional investment, but I know without a doubt that it is worth it.

Pray for me. Pray for the family of the young man mentioned above. And help give hope to those in your life. Love Wins.

Highlight of the week:

Two Starbucks stories, both from yesterday.

1. Having a Starbucks customer ask me about my TWLOHA and One bracelets, then tipping generously because I am a "giving person" and will "probably give it to people who deserve it more than [the customer]." It was a surreal experience, and one that made me feel good about myself for a few minutes, but it also encouraged me to keep promoting these organizations and keeping the discussion open.

2. When a coworker asked about TWLOHA yesterday, I gave her a brief synopsis of what it means, and finished with the words "suicide and depression" right as a customer walked into the store. His face expressed concern and he said something to the effect of "wow, what a morbid Starbucks" and I backtracked and gave him a glimpse of TWLOHA as well. I apologized for the confusion and told him he walked in at just the wrong time, but he smiled and said "thanks for the explanation, and no, I think I walked in at just the RIGHT time." He tipped kindly as well. I love talking about TWLOHA, and the need for this conversation and support. 

Books of the Completed and Started Varieties:

Unfortunately there has been little movement on this front, mostly due to work schedule and the forced Saturday Sabbath in which I did, literally, nothing. I am loving Leithart's Solomon Among the Postmoderns and am working slowly through Webb and Schmemann as I feel inclined, but it has been a slow reading week generally speaking.

Music I’m digging:

Did you know that I only like about 4 "Christmas songs?" Here's the list;

• White Heart - Little Drummer Boy
• Otis Redding - White Christmas
• Mick Jagger & Joss Stone - Lonely Without You (This Christmas)
• Lady GaGa - Christmas Tree

You'll note that two of these are not really "Christmas" songs at all, except that they mention Christmas things in them. Then again, many "Christmas" songs are innuendo pop songs themed around Christmas, so I want to hear zero complaints from the "Christmas music" lovers out there.

Something That Blew My Mind:

The lingering middle finger that many show our city. How is it that people like Newt Gingrich can get away with saying this: "The other side is not going to improve anything. And if we are not careful the other side is going to turn the whole country into Detroit. Then we will all be uneducated, we will all be poor, and we will all live in dangerous places." Regardless of your partisan affiliations, this is not acceptable. A full blog/open letter will be forthcoming.

Ministry Update:

Blessings for our adopted family are pouring in this holiday season, but if you would like to help out, there is still time. We are accepting donations through this weekend and will be purchasing groceries and basic-needs items just before Christmas. It is a real joy to be able to bless a neighbor and community member at any time, but it feels extra special this time of year.

Looking Forward To:

Holiday visits. My brother will be in town this weekend for a concert, followed by a trip from my whole family on Christmas day. It is always a real blessing to see my family and this time will be no exception. Considering that we have not had a full "family Christmas" since at least 2004, it is a big deal for all of us.

Highlight of the week:

Asking a Starbucks customer (a regular) for his man card when he told me he has been going to couple's yoga with his girlfriend. The laughter that erupted made my day. And subsequently, the highlight of the first Monday Brief in weeks.

Books of the Completed and Started Varieties:

Since the last MB, we have had some significant movement on this list, so I will attempt a comprehensive bullet-pointed list for your expectations of complete honesty and accuracy:

Those Books of the Completed Variety

• Deep Church - Jim Belcher 
  • A good look at a middle way between Emergent and Traditional Evangelicalism.
• Reconciliation - Martin Smith
  • A sacramental view of Confession and Reconciliation in the Anglican tradition. His theology is weak at times, but his understanding of this practice is fantastic.
• New Monasticism - Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
  • A thorough explanation of the varieties of new monasticism in contemporary society, he expounds on the need for both traditional church and prophetic monastic communities.
• The Great Emergence - Phyllis Tickle
  • An average expectation for an Emergent-driven future with a solid reflection on church history and structural shifts.

Music I’m digging:

It continues to be a "rediscover my iTunes library" season for me, as recent weeks have experienced audio visits from Green Day, MxPx, and Emery. Most recent additions to the collection include GaGa's Fame Monster and her free "Christmas Tree" single, but otherwise, it's old school Friday every day right now.

Somethings That Blew My Mind: 

• Blood borne Pathogens training. It was horrifying, especially the randomly and rudely inserted "oh look, jaundice face" photos in the presenter's PowerPoint presentation. I am now convinced I will die of one of many Blood Borne Pathogens, and no longer have the desire to encounter humans again. Which throws much of my life goals into jeopardy.
• An awards show for "the music voted best by college students" gave an award to TWLOHA founder Jamie Tworkowski for the work the movement has done. This continues to assure me of the power of this movement and the purpose of speaking Love and Hope into the lives of those around us.

Ministry Update:

We are blessed to be working with His Church Anglican in Livonia to bless a family in our neighborhood this holiday season. Job loss, bankruptcy, etc. have hit many families, and basic needs are going unmet. We are compiling gifts for the family members as well as collecting money to purchase basic must-haves (groceries, winter clothing, etc.) and I would be ecstatic if you were able to donate a few bucks towards helping them out. More details about it are here, and if you have questions please do not hesitate to ask me.

Mike and I have pushed forward on discussions for a metro Detroit theological society to bring conferences, seminaries, priests, ministers, and lay people together. We've been surprised by how quickly the positive responses have rolled in.

Paperwork progress continues for me (slowly but surely) regarding postulancy, membership in the Company of Jesus, and seminary.

Looking Forward To: 

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES ARE COMING. That makes me very, very fat happy.