Google For Good & Better World

It seems that I am constantly impressed by Google. The company with a funny name indicating a seemingly infinite number is making a difference unlike any company of which I have knowledge. I and a billion of my closest friends use Google on a daily basis. It's simple search engine is fast, accurate, easy, and the portal to seemingly infinite information.

Then, came Gmail the beta program you had to be invited into, but then was offered as a free limitless storage email. I love it. Whenever something comes along that takes a completely different approach and makes the ordinary tasks of life extraordinarily easy and even fun, I love it.

Then, I caught wind that Google is working to digitize every piece of literature ever written into a super-Google library. This too is an amazing feat and one that will make study, learning, research, and potential growth available to anyone with access to the internet.

Just last month Google announced that they are entering the cell phone industry and will have a Google Phone sometime next year. They are not invested in hardware, per se, but the software that makes accessing the internet and email available to users of cell phones. Their logic is that there are significantly more cell phone users in the world than computer users. So, they will bring the internet simply and efficiently to cell phones.

Then, today while reading my Gmail across my webclips comes an article about Google pursuing renewable energy. They are investing millions upon millions of dollars in renewable energy. Sure it is for lowering their own corporate energy costs. However, most Wall Street observers think the move is sheer insanity and a case of a company trying to do too much. Many guess that Google will outreach its ability to produce. While their name represents an infinite number of zeros and seems to mirror their net worth, their goal is not making money. What? A huge multi-billion dollar company is not in it for the cash? No wonder Wall Street frowns and shakes a discouraging finger.

Get this. In 2004 when they went public with their initial public stock offering, founders Page and Brin wrote to investors:

"Our goal is to develop services that significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible. In pursuing this goal, we may do things that we believe have a positive impact on the world, even if the near-term financial returns are not obvious."

The bold italics are my addition to highlight their stunning assertion, which means "it is not about the money." They are focused on positively improving life for as many as possible. Wow! What if everyone had that as a goal? Think of the impact that one person could make who was willing to give their life - even painful embarrassing death - for the good of as many people as possible. It sounds like a hint of a faith I could really hang onto tightly. Sacrifice some of our perks, power, hours, and cash so that others could see seismic difference in their lifestyle.

The story of Jesus (and those who follow him) has green reproductive power even today. If people of faith will get out of mere sermon listening and into changing the world, then life would be better for more people. Don't get me wrong, this is not a "rah-rah" chant for human potential. I think it can only happen on the shoulders of a God who stretched his arms wide in love of the world (the whole world), but he also accomplishes it through you and me and Google. God is bringing all things to their perfection in Jesus. I am ready to follow him.

Picture Perfect Imperfect Faith

Standing on the curb, I watched my kids wave at parade floats while I spoke with old friends. They were enjoying the new experiences of Homecoming, while we adults were reminiscing about our college lives gone by. Homecoming at ACU is always fun because the Alumni community is strong and our graduating class size was small. So, it is more likely that you see people you know. However, being at a "Christian" college in a town full of three Christian colleges means that there is a. . . well, a surplus of Christians. It is great to raise a family, but not necessarily a realistic world for the greater portion of America.

As I stood with friends and current students, we watched carloads full of "the homecoming court." These pretty girls with straight teeth and combed and conditioned to perfection waved to the crowds. I overheard the student next to me say to his girlfriend, "Yep, I bet she loves Jesus." I looked and he was nodding at a pretty young girl waving from a sports car, one of the many chosen beautiful girls.

The truth of the offhanded comment stuck to the back of my brain - "she must love Jesus." Of course, the obvious curse of blessings. Who wouldn't love Jesus if their teeth were white, face beautiful, hair held perfectly by a crown, and figure worthy of a Queen's title. With everything going for them, why not thank and bless and honor God?

But what about the rest of us? What about those who stand sneering on the sideline of life longing for the perks of life that pass us by? Many of us live in the "if only's" of faith. If only God would give me X, then I would believe. If only God answered my prayer about X, then I could follow. If only God . . ., then I could.

So we look in the mirror, recount inadequacies, list unfulfilled dreams and scoff. All that is missing in our lives becomes reason enough to let following God go, too. What has God done for me?

As his words about loving Jesus echoed in my head, it was clear that some people love Jesus for what he can give them. Jesus is easy to follow when he is leaving big blessings for us to pick up behind him. It is more difficult to follow when the road is marked by suffering, tragedy and death. I wonder which faith is more valuable: faith in a Jesus who makes life perfect or faith in a Jesus despite an imperfect life? Probably the more noble is the imperfect life that mirrors Jesus way of the cross.

Come to think of it what is the difference between a faith that follows Jesus when blessed and a faith that rejects Jesus when life is less blessed? Not much.

Blanket Rolled Into the Sky

Yesterday Nathan and I were again walking to school. There were hundreds, likely thousands, of birds eating in massive groups across the intramural track and field. So we sprinted right through the middle of this huge mass of blackness. Running as fast as we could the birds took to the air all around us. We were laughing and somewhat in awe of all these birds flapping the wind all around us. After we ran through them for the first time, Nathan said that it looked like a black blanket being rolled up into the sky. Now that description sounds poetic to me.

We have made a habit of running through the birds and sending them upward and away in flight. We've only done it maybe three times. Today, Nathan associated two experiences (the one were birds were in church and the other where birds fly) and said, “I think they are in church.” So there we were sprinting hand in hand as the sun was just beginning to peak through the pink sky with hundreds or thousands of black birds flying around us. Indeed, it is church - a sacred moment of worship. God's creation of animal and light and life is present powerfully in a moment shared between father and son.

Jesus spoke about birds and invited us to consider them. It is funny how we will consider scripture or meditate on a commentary or reflect upon a great new book, but not a bird. When Jesus watched the birds he explained the wisdom they reveal about life. These birds do not have barns nor seed planting strategies nor cookbooks full of recipes. Yet, God does not let them go hungry. We worry and fret and wring hands about much that we are not even in control of. God is in charge. So, enjoy life. Stop worrying about what you cannot control. Live in the church of life and let God care for you.

No Name Tag Needed

The ZOE Conference has been a delightful experience this weekend. I wondered who I would see. . . there were name tags everywhere Like any conference there are people you know, people you think you recognize, people you know of, people there you never see, people you have heard of, and people you meet for the first time. Name tags are a beautiful thing. For the people you recognize or know of you can remember their names. Name tags help emblazon the name of someone just met into memory.

And then there are people for whom you don’t need a name tag. Regardless of how long it has been, you just know them. Tonight I ran into my childhood friend Tim. He lived a few doors down when I lived in Oklahoma. We played Star Wars, Lego, football, basketball, tether ball, and camped out. I have no idea when the last time was that we saw each other, but I moved away from Tim twenty some years ago.

Tonight we went to dinner and swapped stories of the events of life good and bad that have come upon us. For the last two years we have been praying for time and Kristi. Their two year old daughter has serious health issues. She was not expected to live through pregnancy nor childbirth nor many months. Now, she is two, which is a miracle in itself, but it is a miracle that has come with costs. Life experiences give us much and take much out of us. Twenty four seven care of a child is tough, but when two other children are in the home it is tougher.

I asked Tim how he made it through knowing his unborn child might die. He said that the night they went to the hospital he had a ZOE CD in the car and it was playing “Blessed Be Your Name.” He had never really paid attention to the words, but that night "the road marked with suffering" became a reality for them. The song gave him the words to return thanks to God through good and bad. Sometimes all we have left is the opportunity to say "Blessed are you God" and that is enough to show that God is at work.

Amazing. Life comes with questions, doubts, and difficulties. There are not cute answers that heal or solve it. But there is a God who walks with us through it.

Bird Sanctuary

Sunday morning the sun rose with pink and orange fire, silently brilliant across the sky. Our family toddled noisily through the silence of the morning and were buckled into the car. "Why do we have to go to church?" my five year old whined. Being strapped into stiff clothes, child car seats, and a five point harness, the question was a fair one. There was little choice about his clothes, the seat, the seat belt, or the destination. However, he rarely complained about going to church . . . surprisingly he likes going to church.

I tried to duck the question with distraction, "look at those birds up on the high wire looking at the heavens." This time diverting my son's eyes did not divert his question, "Why don't birds have to go to church?"

Ok, there was no escaping. This was the pre-game for repeating this question all the way to church. An endless game of, "But why Daddy?" "I don't want to go" "Why do we have to go." So, I had to audible a blitz on his questions.

"The birds are already in church," I said.

"Hugh?" he cocked his face and wrinkled his nose.

"Sure they are already in church. They are always in church."

"How can they be in church?" he asked.

The best way to answer a five-year-old's question is usually another question. "They are outside under trees and flying through the sky. Who made the world?"

"God did."

Yes, that is right. God made the sky, sun to rise, trees to raise their branches, and wind to blow. They are exactly where they need to be worshiping God in all that they do.

Humans, while somewhat different, could learn from the birds of the air. We are always in the sanctuary of God.

Long before we strap in to a new day - Sunday or Thursday, comfy cloths or starched - we have the skin that provides sanctuary to God in a world that is his sanctuary. How we sit on a wire and watch the sunrise on Sunday and how we respond to voice mail on Monday is as much worship at pew sitting.

Sunday worship then begins to look like a whole different skyline. It is not a "have to" but a chance to fly with other creatures and explore how we might better worship God in every moment. Birds, sunrises, seat belts, and children included.

When our worship becomes strapped human routine, it will be the sky that worships because "the heavens declare the righteousness of God." Jesus himself said that rocks will speak if we refuse to speak. I will be watching the birds, soaking in sunrises, and laughing with children. Because if I listen closely enough I can hear a crescendo much larger that the worship I attend, prefer, demand or ignore.

May you find sanctuary in God and may God himself find sanctuary in you.

What's Missing

The event set sail tonight, but what was missing? We were not missing great worship thanks to Steven Moore. He warmly led an inspired group in worship. We were not missing great preaching. Jerry Taylor brought the message powerfully and eloquently. Yes, we were missing Royce Money, but that simply could not be avoided with an honoring of Representative Bob Hunter elsewhere in the country. Jack Reese fit the bill eloquently. So, what were we missing? The center screen with the video backdrop. You know, the one that displays the theme. It was absent due to missing hardware to hang the video projector.

These are the things I never noticed about lectureship. Missing screens, how the greenery magically appears, the height of the stage, and other invisible details behind the scenes. That is where prayer is a priority. Not as a magic fix to life's issues, but as the reminder that each breath of life is given from a creator. The invisible details of our existence are easily overlooked, when they should be offered in prayer to a God who makes the sun rise and set.

Prayers of The Green One

I wore my green shirt today. It just seemed the symbolically correct way to go. This week I will be observing Lectureship from the inside. You might want a voyeuristic look behind the curtain. Sure I saw the sun rise this morning (and many more worked through the night), but all hard the work took place in the twelve months prior to this sunrise.

I packed my purple tie because tonight Jack Reese will introduce me as the new Director of Ministry Events. Tonight will be a great beginning to the Lectures with Dr. Jerry Taylor getting things rolling. Thousands will come to welcome the words of the Prophet Micah. If only he could experience the kind of welcome he will receive this week. Prophets are usually only welcome long after they are dead. So, it is appropriate that we honor this words. Micah would likely not be impressed with our red carpet rolled out for him. Prophets like to make a fuss. They do not wish to be pampered. But we could count on him bringing his message of performing Justice, loving Mercy, and walking in Humility with the one true God.

Tomorrow morning will begin with prayer. Jacob's Dream will be the site for morning prayers beginning at 8 a.m. This quite place will prove to be the intersection between human and divine. Prayer is our response to God's action in our lives. In years past, the ACU students have taken on the task of praying for every class presenter and keynote speaker. This year it is not happening officially. Instead, I will be praying for lectureship non-stop through the event. I will be praying for speakers, teachers, vendors, food service personnel, participants, and others. You are welcome to join with me in praying that God's Kingdom arrive in big and small ways throughout this week in ways that will strengthen God's activity in homes, churches, and workplaces throughout the world.

Director in the Shadows

The ACU Lectureship countdown has begun. This year I get to watch the behind the curtain events. I don't know what to expect. The schedule is intense. Anytime it takes a year of build up to plan and pull off an event one can only imagine how the seconds matter at the event.