A Transition On The Rise

It has been a long quiet spell here on this blog. A lot has happened in my life in the past few months. A lot of great things are in store for me personally and as a minister. As many of you are probably aware of I am now engaged to a wonderful girl, Michael Lemmons. It's very exciting! If you want to see the video here's the link: Honduras Proposal. We'll be tying the knot in May.

Along with that excitement, Michael and I will also be moving to Tegucigalpa, Honduras sometime in the late summer. We will be working with the Breaking Chains Honduras team there which Michael has been involved with for the past 16 months. This is their link: Breaking Chains. There I will take care of their worship on Sundays, working with their youth and families on a daily basis among other various projects. I am excited to be a part of the community at Breaking Chains. Developing communites spiritually is an interest I have gained in my time pursuing my M.Div and at Impact. I look forward to creating healthy bonds of community and as a church as we aid the residents out of poverty and into other homes and communities.

This transition is difficult for us because we love Impact dearly. It is where we met and were formed as ministers and directors in the church. With that said, we are excited about all of the ministry that we will be able to do together in Honduras. I'll defer to her latest newsletter to give you more information, it is attached below. Soon this blog and facebook page will be no more, but I encourage you to follow Breaking Chains on facebook and to be on the lookout for a new blog about Honduras with both me and Michael.

Grace & Peace.
John

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B67JnZoizTOSeXdVMnIwZWJRaEE/edit?usp=sharing&hl=en&forcehl=1

Some Thoughts on Voting (Jesus for President)

I don't vote. And in reality in the states I'm in my vote wouldn't really matter. That's a philosophical stance I have. Theologically, I tend to hold an Anabaptist stance towards interaction with civil society, but that would take a book to explain. Which I will recommend the two that have influenced this stance I hold Artists, Citizens, Philosophers:Seeking the Peace of the City and Jesus for President. When people ask who I'm going to vote for I say "Jesus." Which gets me some sanctimonious and strange looks.

I do believe in working for the good of society, but I think that should be accomplished through the efforts of the church, not the government. I don't believe in legislating change or morality; I think those things should be lived. In a way, misplacing our hope political process instead of Christ is our way of copping out of our responsibility as a church. Like anything, this is my opinion, but I want to link you to a couple interesting thoughts on voting and political engagement. Blessings.

David Lipscomb on Voting

Why Vote?

When You're Pissed at God.

I realize that some of you may not like the word "pissed," but I don't think mad or angry really describes what I felt a week ago. A week ago, I learned that the five beautiful children who had been in the care of Breaking Chains (The homeless ministry in Honduras Michael works with) were removed from their custody and put in the care of IHNFA (Honduran CPS). Four of these kids were in Michael's care for the last two months. You can read the details from her post: Searching for God.

It's moments like this I struggle with God. I cry out. I cry out at the injustice, the injustice of children being removed from a home where they were loved and opportunities to thrive for a better life. To be candid, I yell out. I yell out in my pain, my loss of knowing these kids, who I plan to have a future role with, are in a difficult, confusing, scary situation. 

I hear the words that "God is in control." Yet the injustice of it all doesn't sit right with me. I feel like the writer in Psalms 88. Or maybe the story of Job is more fitting, which brings up a whole lot of other uncomfortable theology with God betting on the faithfulness of Job. But there is something that does bring me some comfort. 

Job who has experienced so much has his friends try to comfort him and cries out in his own way. Then God answers: Job 38-40:5. When I read this poetic angry answer from God calling Job out; I stop. I get this scary peace if that makes any sense. The words "Shall the faultfinder contend with the Almighty" rings in my ears. And I do as Job, I spoke once and now I will shut my mouth. I will trust, I will persist.

God challenges Job and then Job says "I know that you can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Maybe this is where I get the most peace. To know that this may be one ugly, long, painful process, but not to sound cliche; things are in God's hands. And he is close to the brokenhearted. And in that uncomfortable, helpless position I wait and pray, and Michael waits and shows up to visiting hours over and over to be rejected repeatedly. But in this place close to God, we pray, fight and wait.

God's Football Team

This morning I had a thought about the functioning of the church, and Les Rose really pushed my thinking this way as I listened to him give a devo. In some ways the church is structured like a NFL football team. There's the players on the field who are similar to the church/ministers of the church. The coaches on the field (who are often former players) are like the elders of the church. Then the General Manager who acts is some ways similar to God, they have a lot of power and ability to control the functioning of the team.

Like any athlete who performs on the field I think it is important for Christians to be prepared. Athletes exercise their muscles and we too need to exercise our muscles of prayer, service, patience, love, etc. Likewise, practice for teams is critical for building unity and preppring each other for the time on the field, and worship is a fantastic time for Christians to do the same thing. Each player and coach on the team has a different function and purpose that they contribute. Just like so many Christians are call to different jobs and ministries within this world. It's an encouraging thing to see each member of a team functioning to fulfill its goal.

So today, I encourage you to continue on in your role and position, doing, loving, and serving as you go. Don't forget to practice and exercise your faith everyday. And most of all be encouraged by interacting with the Christian community you know.

Death and Remembering

I first met my friend Haymond nearly 4 years ago, and I immediately thought the world of him. And I’ll never forget the moment I heard he had passed away. In my short years in this world, I have met few people who are as kind, as caring and as genuine a person as Haymond Butler. Anyone who knew Haymond, knew that he had his quirks. I and others often simply referred to him as “Wolverine,” and he often introduced himself as Logan (Wolverine’s real name). He gave those around him different character names for the X-Men; for me I was the leader, Professor X. I don’t know why, possibly because of my receding amount of hair. For this reason he had a deep devotion to me, at times I would have to calm him down before he went off on someone who would be messing with me.

I have not been called by my real name by him in years, I answered to Professor like it was my own name, and he answered to Logan like it was his own. I looked forward to seeing him on Sundays and receiving his patented strong hugs, and on days when my back hurt I dreaded the extremely firm pat on the back. And now my Sundays will be incomplete without those hugs. Haymond was a smart person, he graduated with honors from High School. At times, he would be like Rain Man when it came to math. Many people never knew this about him, his playful awkwardness in social situations disguised his genius. I know he would have gone on to do really great things in life.

He fought with his siblings like everyone does, but only because he loved his family deeply. In every way, he showed DeAndre and Brittany what it meant to be a good brother. He became the man of the house, when his older brother Andre passed away tragically, and he looked out for mom and family with his big heart. He missed Andre so much when he was gone and listening to him talk about how great his brother was made me hurt so bad for him every time.

It hurt so bad to be out of the country when my friend passed. I take some solace in knowing that he has no more pain and no more seizures, and knowing that this is not the end. That someday we will rise up again and we will be together with Jesus. But for now and as long as I live, I remember my friend for the sweet, caring person he was.

We Fed Him to the Lions

They’re good lions I tell my intern, Dawn. “Maybe this will straighten him out,” I say. We had just taken one of our graduated seniors to his probation officer that he had been avoiding for at least two months. The hope was that we could somehow advocate for him to have a second chance. Dawn and I both knew there was the possibility that he would be arrested there, but we certainly weren’t prepared when it happened.

Apparently, he had screwed up so bad that there was not going to be a conversation. His probation officer brought us back and out stepped two officers and she said “You’re going to have to go with these two gentlemen.” They slapped the cuffs on him and we all went down together and watched him get put in the car and taken downtown. It was a surreal moment, I wasn’t shocked, but there was an eerie feeling inside me as the realization that I may have just gotten someone locked up for 2-3 years washed over me.

It was needed, they were going to find him anyway, and he does need to straighten his life out. He had been shacked up with his girlfriend for weeks, and lying to her mama saying he’d been kicked out by his mom. Not to mention he had lied over and over about things he was doing to his mama, and everyone at church. He was doing his best to manipulate us all to his advantage. The sad part was, his mom and I talk regularly and I knew all he was up to and he still wanted to keep lying to me even when I called him out on his lies.

If you can’t tell already, this was my first time getting someone arrested, which was difficult enough. Now Dawn and I needed to take his phone and stuff to his mom and tell her. In probably any other situation, I would have been terrified to tell a parent this, but as much as we had to deal his lying and other junk I figured she would be understanding. She was, we let her vent, we vented, and we prayed. I prayed for peace, and “that this kick in the butt, would wake him up to the reality of life and that he was not living it right.

Maybe that is something we should all pray for, a “kick in the butt.” I’m betting though for most of you reading this you don’t need one because you’re headed on a path to prison. But maybe you need a “kick in the butt” to live out your faith every day or maybe you one so that you will do something about a form of injustice in your community. Whatever it is, I pray it happens. 

Wilderness Trek Adventures

Two weeks ago, 13 High School students and 4 adults from Impact embarked on a spiritual journey up Mt. Hope in Colorado. It is a wonderful experience which breaks the kids down and gives them a chance to rely on God and each other. Below are some pictures and two accounts of the experience the kids had.
                            

My week was so fun and exciting her Wilderness Trek. The guides were so caring towards us and throughout the entire week they showed their love to us. The first day we got there, the guides were real excited to see us it was the best welcome ever. Going up to low campsite was easy, but I got tired and real exhausted. Once we got there to low camp we saw some houses that were historical monuments. It was real awesome and amazing. The next day we woke up real early to get to high campsite as soon as possible so we can rest and eat. Even though most of us had struggles we all helped each other and we all encouraged one another. I was real tired and I was also sick, I got real pale at least that is what I was told and I also blacked out at one point. I got better after I ate and rested a little at high camp. 

Once we got to high camp everybody was tired but happy at the same time because we had finally made it there after 7 hours of hiking. The next day we had “Solo Day” as they call it which gives a time to be by ourselves with God. I had time to read the Bible, pray, and meditate on my mistakes and relax a bit. We played a bit afterwards with an aerobie which is like a Frisbee. It was so fun playing aerobie up there on the mountain with our guides. 

The summit day came and we were all relaxed and not tired any more. We were ready to reach the top already and everybody was trying to have fun with each other and helping each other. Even though we didn’t get to the top of the mountain because of the weather, we all had a great time anyway. We came back down and went to relax in a hot springs pool. I’m so excited to come next and see all those cool guides if God lets us.

-Enrique Gonzalez

My week for the trip had been like Dr. Pepper because it is so awesome you can’t even describe it. Hiking onto Mt. Hope was a challenge because I thought it was small enough to hike, or something like that. Living in the wilderness makes me feel like I’m in the Hunger Games, but instead, we were working all together to reach the summit of the mountain. There were times when I should’ve given up because I could see myself sweating and begging for a thirst of a break, but I kept going because I was hoping the natural pain killers would kick in. 

When the big packs were packed on me, I wasn’t really used to the weight because when there were steep hills, I slowed down because the weight kept pushing me down. When we were nearly at the summit, it was a beautiful view because even though it was freezing cold, I felt accomplished. The one activity I liked was finishing my book on the Glass Castle because it taught me a lesson of together we stand, divided we fall. When we were hiking back to the vans, my luck just came in because many bad things happened, but I moved along with it. Lastly I felt like a zombie because I wanted to drop dead gorgeous on the vans.

-Edward Herrera

I get such a kick out of getting my kids out of their element and challenging them spiritually and physically. At the end of the week, they decided they would wash their guides' dirty nasty feet since it is a important thing for them to have good feet. I truly have the best job in the world, not because I get to take cool trips to the mountains of Colorado and the beaches of South Padre every summer, but because I get to see the growth of so many sweet kids.

Grace & Peace.
John