For Example, let's end Rohingya Suffering

Photo courtesy BBC World

So, here is an example of what I'm talking about. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32970808

Most people have still never heard of the Rohingya peoples, but for those of us who have been in refugee ministry for a while, we have heard of their plight for years.  I still remember the shock and joy of discovering an entire, large apartment complex totally filled with Rohingya refugees in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  I don't know them well, but whenever I hear an update about their plight, my spirit groans.

I'm not going to tell their story here but to say that they are the ultimate people without a country.  They are South Asians who have spent the last few generations in Burma thanks to the post-abolition policies of Great Britain who semi-forcibly reshuffled the peoples of the world through their ghastly system of indentured servitude (which alone is enough for the entire world to call the UK to step up and solve the Rohingya problem that their greed is ultimately responsible for creating).

But I digress.

Yesterday, I mused about Grey's Anatomy (which is playing in the background as I read through the morning news and blogs) and how TV series' writers with a vision only as big as the world seem to have great difficulty in writing about changing the world.  It's far easier to write about a great character getting killed off in a car accident than to imagine them actually realizing their potential to make history.  In trying to inspire our newly arrived set of summer interns, referenced this and hoped to convince them that God isn't like this at all.

Perhaps it is the logical outcome of my evangelical generation's upbringing that we either give in to the numbing influences of the prevailing culture or finally throw off the restraints of small-mindedness -- to rebel against the drop-in-the-bucket kind of thinking and utterly give oneself to actually changing the world.  Those early days of Piper and the Passion Conference Posse must finally take on flesh and dwell as uncomfortably as the Hulk in a china closet in this basically status quo world of trendy protests, je suis whateverisms, and awareness campaigns that never do anything.

So for me.  What I do now when I hear about the Rohingyas is I start to ask myself, "What is the plan to actually solve this problem?  Why can't I be the one who makes it?"  Because I'm sick of assuming that I can only do my part!  If I am content to only do my part, transformation won't come because by now I realized that the vast majority of people will never do their part!  Some won't because they cannot.  Others won't because they simply don't care.  At 37, I know that I must do the part of thousands if things are going to change.  And I know that while I came to the Lord's table empty handed at first, I've been at the table so many times for so long that I can only blaspheme Him by the suggestion that my hands are still empty.

I can change the world.

Indeed, the one who has written in his book all the days of my life before even one of them came to pass intends that it should be.

So, Amen! May it be!

Keep McDreaming! You Won't be Written Off.

Photos Courtesy ABC.com

So, I have to confess now that I am a rather huge fan of Grey's Anatomy.  I have no excuses and some of you will definitely think less of me after having just read that.  I'm okay with that.

Recently, an original character on the long-running TV series was written off in a horrible, fatal accident.  Grey's creator, Shonda Rhimes has gained bit of a reputation for killing off cast members.  This one rather upset me.  I scoured blogs and news articles for an explanation.  Why kill Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd?  Why?  Yes, I even cried a little.

I was more upset when my favorite character, Sandra Oh's unforgettable Dr. Christina Yang was written off a season earlier.  Fortunately for her, she didn't die.  She moved away to some amazing European medical research center with limitless funding and potential -- to change the world and yet never be heard from again.

And there is my point.

Characters Yang and Shepherd were portrayed for season after season as aspiring to and encroaching upon genuine historic medical greatness.  They were going to print hearts and map brains and otherwise save millions of lives.  And then suddenly, a car accident or a move to Europe and we are asked to forget about them and focus on those mere mortals left behind.

I think true greatness must just be really hard to write about.  Inevitably the explanation comes from TV writers that sounds something like, "We just felt like there was nothing else for us to do with this character."  After several seasons of exploring a variety of relationships, and scenarios and adventures, the writers feel they have done all they can do with that character.  That they've explored every angle.  That they've rather painted themselves into a corner.  The character must die or they must venture into greatness off screen and achieve it in a way that doesn't disturb the little universe we've created.

Read that last line again.

That's what a vision as big as the world will get you -- writer's block after a few seasons.  Eventually you conclude that there is nothing else to be done with Derek or Christina or Frasier or with any of Daniel Larusso's girlfriends (still stings).  Though you may be a screenwriter with a fictional universe of your own creation and though you literally have a blank piece of paper in front of you, when your vision is only as big as the world, it is difficult to write about it changing.  

Photo Courtesy NBC.com

Speaking of Fraiser.  At least they tried.  Some 20 years of stories written about my all time favorite TV character and at the very end, the writers essentially admitted their limitations when they had the beloved Dr. Crane read from Tennyson's Ulysses:

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

How glad I am that God isn't like that! He never runs out of stories or angles or adventures or dreams for my life.  He knows how to write about greatness.  He knows how to write about changing the world.  He'll never get to a point with me where he shrugs and says, "Well, I think we have done just about all we can do with you."  There is always another season.  The show is always renewed and every time I think I've just gotten through the climax of the tale he is authoring in my life, he repeats, "That was just the beginning."

पञ्चमहयजन(Maha Yagna): Five Daily Disciplines for the Devotee of Jesus

By mikaku

What follows is the Nepali version of the "Five Daily Disciplines for Devotees of Jesus"  (पाचवटा  प्रतिदिन् अनुशासन). For the one who has given their life to the Lord Sri Jesus, these yagnas are acts that can be done daily as an expression of devotion (bhakti) and faith (biswas).  I will include below the Nepali and English translation.

पञ्चमहयजन

[Five Great Sacrifices / Disciplines]

१. इश्वर यजन [Discipline of God-worship] 

तपाईंको प्रेम जीवनभन्दा श्रेष्ट छ, यसकारण मेरा ओठले तपाईंको महिमा गर्नेछन. (भजन ६३:३) [Your love is better than life, so my lips with glorify you. (Bhajan 63:3)]

२. शास्त्र यजन [Discipline of Scripture Study]

तपाईंका वचन मेरा गोड़ाका निम्ति बत्ती, र मेरो बाटोको निम्ति उज्यालो हो. (भजन ११९:१०५) [Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (Bhajan 119:105)]

३. पितृ यजन

[Discipline of Honoring Parents and Elders]

आफ्ना बाबु र आमालाई आदर गर, कि जुन देश तिमीहरुलाई परमप्रभु आफ्ना परमेश्वरले दिनुहुन्छ, त्यहाँ तिमीहरुको आयु लामो होस्. (प्रस्थान २०:१२) [Honor your father and mother, so that you will live long in the country that the Lord your God gives you. (Prasthaan 20:12)]

४. मानुष्य यजन [Discipline of Service to other People]

समस्त व्यवस्था एउटी वचनमा पूरा भएको छ, "तैंले आफ्नो छिमेकीलाई आफूलाई झैँ प्रेम गर्." (गलाती ५:१४) [In one word the entire law is completed, "Love your neighbor just as yourself." (Galaatee 5:14)]

५. सृष्टि यजन [Discipline of Creation Care & Stewardship]

आफ्नो निम्ति पृथ्वीमा धन-सम्पत्ति नथुपर, जहाँ कीरा र खियाले ती नष्ट पार्छन् र जहाँ चोरहरुले गर फोरेर ती चोर्छन्. तर आफ्नो निम्ति स्वर्गमा धन-सम्पत्ति थुपार, जहाँ कीराले वा खियाले नष्ट पार्दैन, र चोरले पनि चोर्दैन. किनकि जहाँ तिम्रो धन हुन्छ, त्यहीँ तिम्रो मन पनि हुन्छ. (मत्ती ६:१९-२१) [Don't keep treasures for yourself on earth where insects and rust can destroy and where thieves can break into your house and steal.  But keep for yourselves treasure in heaven where insects and rust cannot destroy and where thieves do not steal.  For where you treasure is, there your heart will also be. (Mattee 6:19-21)]

At TriEak Parmeshwar Mandali, we have had a fruitful summer of study on these topics during our weekly satsangs.  I recommend utilizing these for the creation of storying sets.  That is, we have found many narratives from the Holy Scriptures that can be used to illustrate and teach the above disciplines.  

Reflections for the Missional Long Haul (2 Cor. 5:6-10)

Photo by Trey Ratcliff

Today, I want to share my sermon notes from several weeks back on 2 Corinthians 5.  In reading the passage, I felt the Lord leading me really to a number of principles for missionaries to promote their endurance -- to help them press on to the end.  The "long haul" is something I really need strength for these days.  So, you can download my full notes on the message here.  Now for a summary:

I asked my congregation to reflect on five things as they considered how they might endure as missionaries.

1. An attitude we desire -- Confidence (5:6)

2. An obstacle we must come to terms with -- "in the body" = "away from the Lord" (5:6)

3. An engine we must turn on -- Longing for eternity (5:7-8)

4. An aim we must focus on -- Pleasing the Lord (5:9)

5. An end we are prepared for -- Reward (5:10)


Blessing to you as you seek to press on!

Faithful Witness: Conversion or Devotion?

Photo by o5com

I want to direct you today over to the Faithful Witness blog.  There you'll find an important reflection by my friend, Tim Shultz. Tim's latest post is on the topic of conversion and relationships and will be helpful to anyone who has been interested in my articles on Hinduism here. Tim asks a key question:

Why do we Christians sometimes expect non-Christians to risk destroying their family to convert to Christianity or serve Christ faithfully?


I believe it is a critical question that we must deal with.  I believe that by affirming and highlighting certain types of "conversion" stories, we are unwittingly advocating for the breaking down of marriages and families and embracing an improper interpretation of passages such as Matthew 10:34-39.  And that's Tim's point in the post, so please check it out.


Faithful Witness: Conversion or Devotion?: "What is Jesus saying in these powerful scriptures?  He is calling us to whole hearted devotion that is so supreme and predominant in our lives, that it may actually cause people in our family to break relationship with us. This level of devotion may cause people whom I love to leave me, but it should never cause me to leave them . . . . In this scripture, Jesus is calling us to himself in a devotion of heart and life that is total and complete.  Hindus refer to this devotion as Bhakti, devotion to God that is from the heart and which commands my entire being.  That level of supreme devotion makes any other relationship in my life seem like nothing, less than nothing, in comparison to my devotion to Jesus."

The Proper Posture for Self-Outpouring (2 Cor. 6)

Photo by Andreas Levers

From time to time on this blog, I want to make available to you my personal sermon notes.  Now, let me say that I don't always make very detailed notes.  Particularly when preaching/speaking through a translator, I tend to just jot down a couple thoughts in a notebook and go for it.  Occasionally, however, I do make some notes that have value to someone other than myself.  So here we go ...

At our house church, we've been working through 2 Corinthians as missionaries especially with 12:15 as a theme verse, "I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls."  I was tasked with handling chapter 6 and did so in a 2-part message entitled, "The Proper Posture for Self-Outpouring" (download full notes here).

The idea was that just as people tell you to lift with your legs and not with your back, so there is a proper "posture" for pouring yourself out.  There are things to do and not to do, in order to ensure that you pour yourself out for others faithfully.  Probably more that the four points I mentioned here, but I was trying to stick to the text at hand.  Here were my four points:

1. Remove all unnecessary stumbling blocks to the gospel (6:3)

2. Show yourself to be a servant of God (6:4-10)

3. Open wide your heart (6:11-13)

4. Cling to the promises of the God who tastes good (6:14-18)

So, I had to wander off the reservation a bit with that last point to bring in a little Psalm 34:8.  There's also a little Sanskrit and some T.S. Eliot in there for good measure.  Enjoy!

Timothy Howe: Our Power Over Fear

Fear has been a significant theme for me during the past couple days.  It seems to be a key factor that the Enemy uses against me -- the fear of others formulated into attacks and my own fear which tempts me to shrink back.  Today, I commend to you Tim Howe's brief reflection on fear, confidence and hope.  Good and timely word, Tim!

Timothy Howe: Our Power Over Fear: "But Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope
Heb 3:6 NLT


Fear can be debilitating. it thwarts dreams and keeps us from accomplishing all that God has in store for us. This week, we have seen how fear can be overcome. Hebrews 3:6 tells us that we have two weapons in our arsenal against fear. These represent the power that we have over fear - confidence and hope. "

The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill

For the second time, I have now prayed through Evelyn Underhill's The Spiritual Life.  Underhill was known as an "Anglo-Catholic" writer and thinker in the early part of the 20th century who wrote chiefly on spirituality and mysticism.  I haven't read anything else by her, but I have really enjoyed this particular book--twice.

This second time through, I feel that I picked up on areas in which I would probably disagree with her if we were to discuss the topic further.  However, Underhill writes with such profundity and insight that it is simply very difficult to point out places where she is wrong.  Besides, it isn't really a theological treatise that Underhill is presenting to us here (though the book is certainly very theological).  It is much more of a meditation, a devotional of sorts.  The book begs to be read in the presence of the Lord and in conversation with Him.  And that conversation isn't supposed to be about Evelyn at all, about whether you and God agree with her doctrinal positions.  It is to be a conversation about your communion with God.  And I think Underhill does a pretty good job of keeping us from wriggling away from that.

So, I recommend The Spiritual Life for mature Christians who just need to sit at the feet of an old saint like Evelyn Underhill and listen to the wisdom she's gotten from the Lord.  Enjoy!

You can purchase the book from Amazon.com by following the link above.  Or, the full text is available online for free here.

Reflection: If I withdraw my love . . .

If I withdraw my love from one follower of Jesus, I withdraw my love from all of them.

If I don't love Sue, I don't love Steve.  Neither merits my love more than the other.  Both are wretched and redeemed.  If I say that Steve is easier to love, don't I really mean that I enjoy Steve more?  Don't I really refer to what Steve has done for me?  In which case, I am not really loving Steve at all.  I am only loving what Steve does and can do for me.  I am loving myself.  Self-love.


If I withdraw my love from one follower of Jesus, I withdraw my love from all of them.

Christians crucified Christ.  All of us.  Yet he does not withhold His love from any of us.  Because He finds no reason to love us, His love does not depend upon us.  His love comes to us without condition.  Thus, there can be no condition for its removal.  Jesus finds no reason to remove his love from any of his followers.  How can I? If He hasn't stopped loving Sue, what right have I to stop loving? And if I do, my love to all of God's people becomes suspect.  If I can come up with a reason to stop loving one, it would surely prove to be a selfish reason.  It might be a reason for many things, but it cannot be a reason to stop loving.  If there can be a reason for me to withdraw my love when there cannot be a reason for Christ to withdraw His, my love proves to be merely self-love.

If I withdraw my love from one follower of Jesus, I withdraw my love from all of them.

I might say that I love Steve more than I love Sue, but what can I say about them that goes deeper than that together they crucified Christ and that both alike are unconditionally loved by Him.  If I withdraw my love from Sue, I have introduced conditions to my love.  But it is impossible to love one person conditionally and one unconditionally.  By withdrawing my love from Sue, perhaps because of her behavior, I have cheapened my love for Steve.  Now, as much as I may feel my love for him, it is only if he toes the line.  My love proves conditional, selfish.  It is self-love.